Working For the Dragon
by My Bad Addiction
Summary: Post Hogs. A desire to be free from the protected life she's lived. Mischievous and gullible Ginny Weasley gets a job at Malfoy Empire. What she didn't expect was inevitably falling for Merlin's gift to women, Draco Malfoy - Her boss.
1. Chapter 1 The Interview

**Summary: Post Hogs. With a history of family feuds and social enmity, it's a wonder how Draco Malfoy became Ginny Weasley's boss and how they survived without killing one another. **

**Genre: Romance/ Humour**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING. IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE SHARING DRACO MALFOY WITH ANYONE. DO. NOT. SUE. ME. However, the plot is ORIGINAL and MINE. I daydreamed of it. **

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 1. The Interview**

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Ginny's POV:

My heart clenched really tightly, interrupting my breathing process as I stood right outside the prestigious 'M. Empire'. I was a tad bit early, like maybe twenty minutes for my very first wizard interview ever. I was applying for the job of being the personal secretary to the richest, probably one of the most eligible bachelor in town. And I was shortlisted for the interview.

The best part was though that I had no damn clue about the entire company at all. No idea who owned it or what the 'M' in the 'M. Empire' stood for. Nope, not even the faintest clue at all and I was perfectly fine with it. I couldn't care less about this mysterious company. All I cared about was getting the job.

It was my latest dream, my fantasy to work here. The career, I had heard from reliable sources was for a lifetime unless sacked. It was reputed and the lowest salary there was not even low. The job too was basically equivalent to being an 'unspeakable' at the Ministry of Magic, United Kingdom. You just never knew what one did within the four walls. _So much for not being well-informed huh?_

I think I was well-educated probably even perfect for the job but my only shortcoming was that I was ordinary. Yes, me, Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley aka Ginny. The Ginevra just didn't go with the girl who was the epitome of simplicity with big dreams of being independent. That was Ginny. Yes, Ginny. I was on the road to independence after sick of being mollycuddled, fussed with or babied for years. Tired of being a damsel in distress in the eyes of The Boy Who Lived.

I was going to prove to everyone that Ginny Weasley was one tough cookie who could take care of herself. And that was basically what I had in mind. Yet, as I stood by the entrance today, I couldn't help but get a bad feeling about this whole thing. A bad yet tingly, pleasurable feeling in my tummy. And deep down I knew that I still had the chance to walk away, to run like a coward and go back to being The Girl with No Life.

I stared hard at the architecture of the building which by the way was really beautiful so much so, it felt as though thinking about the building crumbling into pieces would be considered a great black blasphemy. It reminded me of Gringotts, the world's only wizarding bank made out of white, sleek, Italian marble. There were intricate designs that were definitely pure-gold plated. And the height of the building probably touched the clouds or way beyond. _Gorgeous. _It was like a gateway to a corporate heaven. I was utterly mesmerized.

_C'mon Gin, you're just a step away from getting all that you dreamed of and now you want to back out? Girl, you are nuts. _While I stoodgaping at the tower and internally encouraging myself to enter, a witch clad in emerald robes waltzed pass me and disappeared into the entrance which by the way was totally bizarre. It was not your average floo powder chimney or telephone booth, revolving door or elevator. No. It was like an orb. Silvery grey with mist that was colorful under the light, swirling around. Like maybe a crystal ball.

Staring at my champagne-colored cotton robes which were sadly, lacy and itchy, I tentatively took a step into the orb thing. My eyes were shut as I braced myself for a fall or something. Clearly, I had not expected flat, solid ground but instead however expected myself to fall out from the sky or find myself in oblivion. However, it was nothing out of the ordinary; I was actually disappointed when I realized the normality of the entrance. _Perfectly normal. _My stomach was literally doing the disco in excitement as my eyes drank the view around me in awe.

"Wow". I could not help but gasp aloud in wonder and amazement. This place was …. _unique, different,_ _enthralling. _All of course in a positive manner. Everyone present looked so…. Well, important and official. For the lack of a better word to describe, I could not help but think that my pompous prat of an elder brother, Percy's head would probably explode from the importance that was given to these people. And by the looks of it, they were scuttling around professionally like a true busy bee and doing their work diligently.

Everyone present was clad in emerald robes with silver designs outlining them definitely made out of the finest material available for clothing. It strongly reminded me of the devious, sly, cunning Slytherin back in the old days of magical education in Hogwarts. I sighed internally; I was always partial to the Slytherin colors because they did wonders to my skin. And back then, most of the really hot but bad guys were in that house.

Too bad the Sorting Hat found me more courageous and Gryffindor worthy than Slytherin. That's a lie, the actual truth was that it was basically half-way through towards throwing me to the hungry snakes when I had begged the hat to throw me into the lion's den, _good old Gryffindor_. _Oh for the love of Merlin, my parents would disown me and dear Slytherins would not let me breathe in peace. Not that they actually did anyway._

Thankfully though, the hat really took choices into account and regretfully I never did contribute anything to the school and my House with the exception to the fact that I was reserved seeker/ star chaser since fourth year for the Gryffindor team and I scored tons of goals and kicked asses.

I was basically the girl who went around unnoticed by everyone, brothers included, unless if they felt the need to intrude in my personal LOVE life. Oh and hey, did I mention that I was manipulated by dear old Voldy to open the Chamber of Secrets? Yeah, nearly killed two of my sisters-in-law and tons of other people. Not too proud of that fact. Oh yeah and the girl who had an eternal crush on the Boy Who Lived who was now practically her god brother? And maybe the girl who caused the Sorting Hat to malfunction by screaming "Slyth-Gryffindor!" Thankfully though, it seemed as though no one noticed then over the deafening applause from the Gryffindor table. _Now all of this was about to disappear and I was nervous?_

_Damn you, Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley. You are a shame to both Slytherin and Gryffindor. _I was scolding myself. _Aaaaahh… _I sighed, but the thought of having to wear emerald robes made my day. I mean, for six years, I was stuck with red and gold. Gold wasn't too bad. But red? _Red hair? Red clothes? Total tomato right? If only I could get this job and then I'll be an independent career woman with sexy robes and maybe the handsome Seamus Finnigan might finally notice me whenever he comes over to the Burrow for Quidditch. _My muggle friends were so right, education really did mess with your life. _Great college days however… I remember the time when…_

"Miss Ginevra Weasley?" a cold, unpleasant, nasally voice interrupted my happy thoughts. _Hello! I was just starting to calm down here!_

"Yes. I am Ginevra Weasley." I responded as cordially and confidently as I could remembering that confidence was key to attitude. I chanted that mantra several times in my head.

"You are a good ten minutes early for your interview." She sniffed, giving me a look that made it seem as though being early was a crime. _What did you expect me to do, woman? Saunter in fashionably late like Pansy Parkinson? I'm no heiress here. _I felt like smacking that fact right into her face as I followed her down the corridors. On my way there, I received many glares and snide comments from other girls who clearly, like me, were candidates short listed for the final interview. We finally stopped outside a door.

"This is your waiting room. You are to make yourself presentable…" She sneered at my robes which I had to admit were pretty shabby looking. Not like dear professor Lupin's I-have-no-job-shabby, but the I-haven't-been-worn-in-years shabby. And they were definitely out of style. Nearly forgot, dear Remus Lupin now had tons of galleons jingling in his pockets being legal advisor to the current Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. This really cool dude from the Order of The Phoenix.

"WAIT. Till you hear your name being called." She turned around and stalked off. _Well that is one unpleasant face that I'd probably have to see every morning if I did… *touches wood* get the job._ The door slammed shut with a loud bang and even the little click sound of the door being locked could not get my attention as I viewed myself in the mirror. My robes were clearly designed for a sixteen year old. At twenty-two it was a little snug and made me look like a school girl. _What was I thinking? _I groaned to myself. I did not have six sisters-in-law for nothing. Especially Fleur since she was as big as a house right now with the whole pregnancy thing going on. I could have borrowed her robes since I borrowed her shoes which were at least two sizes bigger then my normal size.

Weasleys also had an insufferable pride to go along with the infamous Weasley temper. Or maybe, it was the 'Ginny' pride. We were definitely far from being poor now with all my brothers holding important positions in the wizarding world or at least having a really good business in another pair of brothers case. Bill was currently the CEO for Gringotts representing UK. The bank was now handled by ghosts instead of goblins since the sword incident during the war. Charlie was the director of the wizarding 'zoo' alongside one of my closest friends, Luna Lovegood. _Believe it or not, Crumpled Horn Snorkacks actually existed. _Percy was a diplomat representing the Ministry of Magic, UK for Foreign Affairs. Fred and George were still going strong with the whole Weasley Wizard Wheezes franchise. Ron and Harry were both in Quidditch teams, The Chudley Cannons, keeper and seeker respectively. And of course, Hermione was loyally by their side as their manager and the author of a few well-known books.

No reason at all to be poor. I had the money; I just wanted it to be my own. And they had all made it somewhere. Compared to them, my dreams were really small and unambitious. I wanted the work experience before I did anything further and this was like a golden opportunity singing out to me._ What_ _a better way to learn than to learn from the best, the King of Deals himself?_

My terribly mussed up hair was finally toned down by a combing charm. That was probably the best I could do. Transfiguring my clothes to something of the latest fashion might end up disastrous because I had no idea what was in on the runways of the fashion capital. _Might as well take a walk. _I decided and walked towards the door thinking about exploring a bit of the entire empire. To my horror, the door opened to no avail, hell, even 'Alohomora' could not work.

I panicked. _Don't tell me all the applicants out there ganged up against poor little Ginny Weasley because they used Leglimens to find out about her desperate need for escape._ Even the muggle trick of using bobby pins could not work and I could not possible blow up the door could I? Normally, I wouldn't really care, exiting in style and everything but the door looked like it costed way more than Fleur's wardrobe and that was considerably saying a lot. I did the next best thing that I could only think of doing. Having practiced shouting matches with the ghoul in the attic for about two decades, I screamed like there was no tomorrow.

"Ginevra! Do not scream as though we have placed the Cruciatus Curse on you! You are here for a reason! Respect that." A sweet but firm voice ordered me to all but shut up. _Great. So now I was going nuts as well. _And I just had to say that aloud to myself.

"Great Gin. You're so obsessed with getting the job that now you've completely lost it. Should ask mum to reserve a room in St Mungo's for you. Mental, really." I shook my head to myself starting to feel a little freaked out. There was nothing but complete silence for what felt like a minute and then suddenly, I heard peals of musical laughter fill the air like tinkling bells.

"Ginny? May I call you Ginny? Relax, you're not mad. We're just a bunch of officials watching you. It's an observation test. Every applicant undergoes it without knowing. However, in your case, we had to let you know. "The voice sighed. _Why the hell did everyone here make everything seem like it was my fault? That was really starting to get on my nerves. First that snooty brat, now this. How much more? And really, talk about weird tests. _I bit back a witty retort choosing to take a deep breath and count to ten.

_One…Two…Three…Ten_. _C'mon Gin, do it for yourself._ I apologized shortly for overreacting when I found out the door was locked. I also explained that my imagination basically suffered from ADHD. I had jumped into the deepest conclusions without facing facts first. It was zeal and desire for the job that kept me behaving this way. The voice had just laughed my evident stupidity off and answered…

"Of course! Good to know that you are really into the job… And now that you know that you are being watched, you are going to be asked a couple of questions, like a short interview before we decide if you are suitable for the final interview, finally." I nodded my head, my mind still in deep thinking.

"Please note that we take this very seriously and we are going to give you the benefit of the doubt by not giving you Veritaserum. However, bear in mind that lying is an offence in this company and if caught, your chances of working, career, everything is doomed." The voice instructed gravely. _Ask away, I have_ _nothing to hide._

"What is your full name?" The voice fired at me right away. _Duh! Big deal._ _And isn't that like supposed to be in my resume?But oh well, let me enlighten you, oh so dumb voice._

"Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley. Prefer Ginny though, Ginevra is too…posh" I had barely finished replying when I was hit again with another question.

"Marital status?"

'Single. Not at all ready to mingle." I replied, rolling my eyes to myself. _Not at all interested in the opposite sex_. Living with the opposite sex, seven brothers was enough to set my mind off against them. Though, the occasional fling would not hurt until I was successful and ready for an open relationship.

"What are your hobbies and interests?"

Now that was a question that really got me thinking. Afterall, it was not in my resume. "Err.. Well, I like to play Quidditch as a Chaser, basketball, reading, cooking, gardening… actually I think just about anything that keeps me occupied and entertained."

"Basketball? The muggle sport?" The voice sounded shocked, accusing even. My goodness, why the hell _are people so prejudiced?_

"Yes. I LOVE the game." I said defensively. _Nobody decides my hobbies for me. _"I'll have you know that ever since that stupid megalomaniac, Voldy went all mouldy, muggle sports have been encouraged in the wizarding world. Basketball may not be so popular because it is similar to Quidditch and magical folks prefer the thrill ride of a broomstick to scoring on the ground but it's really fun. So there." I crossed my arms and scowled towards the ceiling. _No one could pick on me. Not even some stupid inane voice. Ginny Weasley always stands up for what she believes in._

There was a momentary pause before the voice continued rather brusquely, "Alright, Miss Weasley, do you like social gatherings or attending important events? Or even fraternizing with famous people?"

"I only like going for Quidditch matches since I've got two brothers on the TEAM." I emphasized. "And the Quidditch World Cup, shopping with family and friends as well as hanging around and not at IMPORTANT gatherings. I know enough famous people to last me a lifetime." I sighed referring mostly to the revered Golden Trio, my brothers, Ron and Harry and my sister-in-law, Hermione. Not to mention other affluent members in my family. _See, this is why its so difficult to be related to famous people, you can never do anything yourself._

And before the voice could ask me anything else, I shot back with my own question, basically exploding. _Hey! This was frustrating okay? Aren't you supposed to be like asking me about the job? _"What the hell is this man? Is this some kind of matrimonial service or something? If not just ask me questions about my bloody job."_ The infamous Weasley temper strikes again._

I was met with another moment's notice of complete silence, followed by a cough and finally composing itself, the voice chose to ask me another question. "Very well, Miss Weasley. We shall get to the point. How about you tell us why do you want this job since it is obvious you are over qualified for this position?"

_Now that was a straightforward question. _I had honestly assumed that the secret for wanting this job so badly would stick with me till I reached my grave. But, I had to be truthful so I answered after taking a deep breath to calm myself.

"I want so start out small and then end up big." I admitted, staring meekly at the floor.

"What do you mean by that?" The voice asked me, curiosity obvious in its sweet tonality.

"Err… It's kinda like going along slowly. Step by step to make my life filled with bliss. Afterall, 'slow and steady does win the race'" I pointed out. "I want to learn from the best and then unleash my potential on the unsuspecting world so what a better way to do that than to become the P.A of the 'Dragon'?" I mentioned the nickname that was given to the so called vicious and ruthless ruler of the 'M. Empire'

"How much do you know about this empire?"

"Not much." I answered truthfully as my cheeks burned with embarrassment. _Hey! I was not the type to do my homework before checking out the place alright_? Continuing, "I only know that it has existed for generations. Helped the wizard's economy like tons and has recently reached the greatest heights." And there was one point that I had absolutely forgotten to mention. _The noble one. _"Oh and it does tons of charity work." I added hastily.

" Haven't researched much have you, Miss Weasley?" The voice taunted me slyly. _Oh well, do your worst._

"Well…" I shrugged nonchalantly. "I couldn't really be bothered. I mean, I only care about the job and not the social standards or anything else. " I felt the blush return as it only just occurred to me that I had just point blankly informed whoever that I could not care less about anything except for the reputation and money even though it was not in my intentions. _Uh-oh kiss independence goodbye, Gin._

The voice laughed lightly, "Oh but, Miss Weasley, sometimes its good that you get your homework done. Otherwise you may not realize what you are getting into. It explains a lot I suppose. You're dismissed. Audrina will escort you to your final destination. Good luck. "

And the entire system just died on me like that. _Hello? Who was going to answer my questions? _I was lost deep in my thoughts when the door slammed open, making me jump. I turned around and saw the same girl from just now. _YES, the one who had practically insulted my choice of clothing._ I assumed that she was Audrina, _sad, pretty name but with a terrible personality_. _The least you could do was not make me walk beside you silently feeling as though I was going to the gallows._

_Darn this people. This place was bloody hell as quiet as a library. Or a museum where you felt terrible when a mere footstep echoed down the hallways._ There were people shuffling about busily, minding their own business and not at all acknowledging one another. Something sank deeply in my, _probably my heart,_ when I realized that I would die living with silence. What was worst was that, if that ever happened, nobody would probably ever take notice.

I could feel the blood draining from my face when I realized that we were finally at the top of the tower or building, _whatever_. And that meant entering the dragon's den. _No.. No.. No.. _I stopped midway and turned to Audrina.

"Err… listen, um, Audrina or whatever your name is… I don't want to go in there. Not right now anyway." I chided at myself internally. _Brave Gryffindor crap, my ass, seriously._

I couldn't understand my own self sometimes. I mean, I've been dreaming about this for years and suddenly, I'm willing to give up just because my feet are glued to the ground and my heart is basically In my throat? Did I mention that my stomach feels as though someone threw Mt. Everest in there? _C'mon Gin, even if it kills you, you've got to go in there. _I forced myself but to no avail.

Audrina grinned at me evilly as she basically dragged me in front of this door with a mirror on it. Actually, it wasn't really a door; it was a mirror about the size of a door. I guess, that is what made me assume that it was a door.

"Now that you've gotten in so far, might as well continue to the end right? Good luck." And she pushed me forward into the mirror. I screamed as I expected shards of glass tearing my skin painfully. My hands, covering my face for protection could not prevent me from falling to the ground, so this time, I really fell down. Stupid bitch, Audrina. She could've told me that it was an entrance at least let me check my hair and everything for the final time._ If I got the job, I'll push her down a flight of stairs, if I didn't I'll push her down this very building or tower, whatever._

Standing up in all my glory, I brushed my robes forgetting that I was a witch and knew cleaning spells. Keeping whatever dignity I had left intact, I held my head high as I limped towards my final destination. Did I mention that Audrina broke my heel? Worst part, they weren't even my shoes. They belonged to Fleur, were a designer original and freaking expensive.

Thank Merlin she was too heavily pregnant to be wearing heels at the moment. She might not notice, she had thousands of shoes afterall. I gulped, maybe I could put the blame on Hermione since they both shared the same shoe size and she wore heels too. I didn't, I preferred my beloved pumps or flip flops. I was way too clumsy for heels and was a menace when I wore them.

At least Merlin was on my side when I managed to maintain my straying self in them today. Heels always made an impression, according to Hermione. And who better to trust than the 'know-it-all' herself? But now, I was genuinely regretting my decision. I seemed to be regretting a lot today. Okay but it was some impression I would be making looking like a drunken hobo stumbling around, I thought sadly to myself.

_Screw impression, _positive Ginny told me. _Just get out there and show the dude what you've got._ _He wouldn't be able to resist you._ And get your mind out of the gutter; I wasn't planning on seducing the 'Dragon' anytime soon.

I reached another, well, normal looking entrance. It was a glass door but I couldn't be sure so I touched it to confirm. And then it transformed into a glaring white light just as someone from inside said coolly, "You may enter."

Feeling as though I had heard that voice somewhere, but I couldn't place where, I shook it off and entered ignoring the frenzy my emotions had gone into.

I guess you could say that I was in for a bit of a nasty surprise or shock when I recognized the boss of the established empire truly none other than the dragon himself. _The most 'charming, devastatingly handsome, wickedly sexy, devilishly alluring' _as quoted from Witch's Weekly was none other than…

"Malfoy?" I gasped in horror, my hand covering my mouth. "Is that you?"

_Please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong. _But deep down inside, I knew that I stood no chance for my prayer as much as a snowball had a chance of lasting in the fiery pits of Hell.

He was apparently deep in concentration as he studied a document with what looked like a frown on his face. That was before I had probably interrupted his rapid thoughts. That was undoubtedly unforeseen, unpredictable. One thing though, it sure as hell did explain a lot about this place. Finally, his attention was focused entirely on me and that was probably a bad thing, I realized as I gulped internally. _Uh-oh._

He scrutinized me from head to foot, deliberately increasing the pressure on my nerves. After all that, he raised an eyebrow, giving me his signature superior smirk that went back to the old days as he dismissed me in a strangely polite yet disinterested tone.

"Alright, sweetpea, now if your organization is done emphasizing on their poverty and how much they need the donations from the Malfoy Empire fund, I'll increase the donations by 5000 galleons. Just let me get a freaking personal assistant, it's been hard around here without one." His expression changed at the speed of light, it had softened for a moment there, I could swear and then it went to a tired sigh and back to all that air of ridiculous superiority. _Wow, Malfoy had emotions? Ginny is being an insensitive prat!_

I honestly didn't remember much about him back in school except for being the Trio's arch-nemesis. For Hermione, probably in academics, Harry in Quidditch and Ron, well who could be a greater royal pain I suppose. I made it a point to stay clear out of his way except for the Flourish & Blotts incident where I stood up for Harry, my crush then. And his father cleverly tricking the gullible old me into doing the dirty work for the Heir of Slytherin. I still resented him, _cocky, arrogant bastard._ That was what the late Lucius Malfoy was.

He changed my entire life alright. In so many more way than one. In fact, I blamed him for feeling like a caged up owl in my own home. That was entirely wrong because home was supposed to be your sanctuary not prison. Oh yeah, not to mention my gracious Bat Bogey Hex memory when I had hexed him in order to escape from the Inquisitorial Squad. _Now, that memory was sweet. _

_Wait a minute! 'Sweetpea?' _ _Donations? Five thousand galleons? To hell with his humanity, he just insulted me. _And I was feeling really indignant about it.

"I see a leopard can never change its spots." I remarked coldly, observing him. "And maybe you have forgotten me or just never knew I existed , I am Ginny. Ginny Weasley. You know, Ron's sister from Hogwarts?" I added helpfully. _Screw Malfoy, _I wanted this job and I knew that fate wasn't playing an easy game with me. _Have it your way then. _

Upon hearing that, he looked up, astonished. "Weaselette?"

_Well, way to trigger his memory, Gin. _I nodded stiffly, briefly acknowledging the nickname that he and this other hot Slytherin dude, his best friend; Blaise Zabini had created especially for me. Touching right? The root of our enmity? And then he looked down giving his work more importance. _I was here for a interview, mister. Not to hula dance or something. _

"Mal-ferret." I spat at him childishly reminding him of my very presence and then resuming to my demure composure. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Look Weaselette…" He started, politely. _Pigs may start flying already. _"Let's get this straight. GET. OUT. OF. MY. CABIN." He ended it slowly putting strong emphasis on the last couple of words as though talking to someone who was mentally incompetent. _Pigs can't fly and it'll probably stay that way or we'll all be missing out on delicious pork roast. _

"I am here to apply to become your personal assistant, you…. Er, Mr Malfoy." I admitted grudgingly deciding that insulting words would not really help my position at the moment. 'Ginny' pride remember?

His jaw dropped open as he basically checked me out once again. I shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of his silver eyes. He then burst out laughing as though there was no tomorrow as I stared at him confusedly. _WOW. Malfoy can laugh? EVIL laughter, Gin. Nothing else. Yeah… So true. _

"What?" I demanded as he gave me one of his infamous smirks.

"Weaselette, as far as I know, your family is far from poor right now. And if you are applying as you claim…" He gestured. " Don't you know that my personal assistants are required to have assets that you…" He gave my body a once over for the third time and smirked, "CLEARLY, DO NOT HAVE."

"However,…" he continued, "If you are interested, we could work something out." He looked at me as he whispered seductively causing my breath to remain hitched in my throat. I knew that he was doing it on purpose to annoy me and get me all bothered and seriously, it was working.

"I am seriously applying for the job. Nothing else." I defended myself.

"Humor me." He replied. "Let's view your resume." He was probably going to mock at me and it would become worst after….

With a light flick of his wand a purple file that contained all my certificates and every other piece of educational evidence appeared out of the thin air. He flipped through my file, scanning all its contents with his intense eyes. I could practically tell what he was looking at having memorized the entire set up. _Ah… there is my Hogwarts cert, my Honors cert and finally my certificate indicating my bachelor's degree in Business Law & Economic from…._

"You went to Oxford? The muggle university? That too during the war?" He looked at me incredulously, confirming it. Explains the whole prejudiced thinking about everything muggle related.

I nodded my head silently, ashamed. It was a sensitive issue to me because it really deflated my balloon otherwise known as my self-esteem. I think we've established the importance of the 'Ginny' pride to me before. While my family, friends and so many people out there gallantly laid down their lives to protect the magical world, I was bloody hell hidden in the muggle world attending college.

"Is it because of the plan that involved…" He trailed off now seeming a bit well, course he had to feel that way, his own father had come up with that very master plan.

"YES!" I answered him furiously. Of course, dear Draco freaking Malfoy would know right? I mean, it was after all an evil plot that was hatched between the darkest wizard of all time and his right hand man, Lucius. A devastating plot to rise in to power fully once again that involved me and my so called weak mind. Seriously, you would have thought that after the unsuccessful turn of events during the Chamber of Secrets incident, Voldy's hair or whatever left of him would have gone grey at the thought of using me, Ginny Weasley. It might as well be scientifically proven that nothing went right with me in it.

Suddenly, I was all but seeing red, "Its your bloody father's fault that so many people lost their lives. My life ended, one of my best friends died. (referring to Colin Creevey) He is the reason I am standing here today. YOUR EVIL FATHER!"

"Shut up Weasley! " He yelled abruptly making me jump, "You think he made YOUR life miserable. Just try living with sadistic bastard for seventeen fucking years of your life and then you'll see…" He stopped, realizing that he had probably just said too much.

"Just get out of here, Weasley" He glared at me menacingly.

_Uh-oh, _I thought as I shrank back in fear. The words, _if looks could kill, _flashed briefly in my mind. I had just gone against six years of education that was in bred in me during my Hogwarts period, "_Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus." _Translation : Never tickle a sleeping dragon. It really applied in his case. With that livid look on his face, I was half-afraid that he was going to pull a Voldy and avada me.

I was royally screwed. _Goodbye dream job, money..etc. I have no idea how many times I bidded you farewell today but now I've really done it. _My mind was facing a storm of emotions, I was angry at myself for speaking my mind or we could call it having big mouth tendencies. Fearful that Malfoy was going to avada me to wherever it is people went to after being avada-ed. And I actually wanted to push his buttons a little more. Talk about barking mad huh?

"Did I get the job?" I smiled brightly as though nothing had just happened and it was a beautiful day.

"Never in a million years, Weasely Jr." Draco sneered and stood up probably to kick me literally out of his cabin and the whole Malfoy Empire premises. A voice stopped Draco midway and he froze.

"DRACO! What is all the racket going on in here? A fish market honestly!" A woman I recognized as Narcissa Malfoy from the Quidditch World Cup back when I was just a thirteen year old weasel. Yep, I too couldn't believe that I had just called myself that. She was every bit as beautiful looking as ever.

Beautiful was wrong, despite her being old; she could make anyone's self-esteem drop the moment she stepped into the room. She was the female version of Malfoy, it wasn't so hard to determine while studying both their chiseled faces. They looked nearly identical except for the occasional feature from his father and strong hint of masculinity of Malfoy's part.

She wore plain but really elegant and chic silk robes that were rose pink in colour and it really complimented her seraphic features and platinum blonde tresses. Everything about her had the word exquisite printed all over it. The remaining Malfoy's were extremely attractive, I realized as feeling inferior. I decided that the marble tiles were more interesting and proceeded to examining each.

"What is this, my son?" She questioned him softly but sternly in a loving motherly tone. WOW. This woman had struck me as the type who didn't give a damn about a strand of hair from her son's head the last time we had met. _Gosh Gin!_ I lectured myself internally. _You really need to stop being so judgemental. _I mean, seeing is always believing right? _But they are Malfoy's! Cold-blooded Malfoys! See! They even look like they were made from stone!_ My mind protested and we continued this little debate longer until I wasn't paying the slightest hint of attention to the mother-son duo. That was at least until I heard my name.

"Giving Miss Weasley the job…" Narcissa Malfoy declared causing me to look directly at her in surprise.

"Huh?" I wanted to punch myself in the eye for being flabbergasted. There were such words as 'excuse me' and all that.

"You've got the job, Miss Weasley. Congratulations!" She smiled at me briefly, but a warm one in that before turning towards her son who protested while glaring daggers at me.

"But Mother… She…" He stopped halfway, obviously looking for an excuse to get me kicked out. "My secretaries need to have certain requirements that she obviously doesn't have. Like brains for instance."

"On the contrary, Draco dear, you seem to be blind. Miss Weasley here has got brains. I'm telling you. Unlike that previous secretary of yours…" She visibly shuddered.

Continuing, "I know all the reasons why you've had many secretaries each one of them not lasting more than a month." She snapped at him before starting the waterworks. _Wow. Talk about Malfoy drama. And he called my mother a drama-mama. _"You're turning into a womanizer, Draco. Player, Casanova whatever your generation calls it these days. And it really disappoints me to see my only son…." She wiped her tears away dramatically. _WOW._

"Oh alright, Mother. Would you please stop crying? Weasley, you're hired; now get the f-out of here! And come back at the crack of dawn. You need to be trained. Are you happy now, Mother?" Malfoy sighed as he looked resignedly towards his mother who was now sniffing in a very dignified manner. He was totally cursing the female species internally. All the same though, it was nice to know that Draco Malfoy could at least be nice to someone In his life, his mother.

"Really?" I glanced from Malfoy to his mother repeatedly, absolutely elated with joy at the news. Their differing nods confirmed it sending me to cloud nine. "Oh thank you, Mrs Malfoy!" I hugged her joyfully forgetting about every social barrier in this world. "I promise I'll be the best personal assistant that your son has ever had. " I said as I finally released her from my tight hug.

"Its alright Miss Weasley, I expect that from you. And please, call me Narcissa." She replied in a distinctively strangled ton looking ruffled. I was way too happy about getting a job to care. _My dream job, finally!_

"Likewise, call me Ginny or whatever suits your preference." I shrugged.

"Get going, Weasley." Malfoy practically barked at me. I didn't blame him for that outburst though. He finally interrupted my thoughts with a really nostalgic insult.

"And, for Merlin's sake Weaselette, do not dress like a pauper. You can't still be poor with all that power. Unless…." He stopped when he was given a warning glance by Narcissa. This building was so full of surprises, it was scary.

I felt as though I had entered a whole new dimension or something. And whether it was a good or a bad thing, I knew I was bound to find out sometime soon.

I made my way to the door trying to resist gloating in his face. But you know what they say, 'old habits die hard'. It was too good of an opportunity to miss.

"So much for a million light years, Malfoy. Time really does fly, doesn't it? See you tomorrow, _Boss._" I maintained a casual stance but my airy, triumphant voice gave it all away. I was a bad actress, couldn't act or tell a lie to save my life. Ignoring his death glare purposely, I literally danced my way out of his cabin. Thank Merlin Narcissa was there or he'd have really pulled a Voldy on me this time.

Immensely immersed in my relieved thoughts, I walked right into a relatively normal looking but classy wooden door. _Ouch! _I winced as my forehead greeted the hard wooden frame. Come to think of it, I never actually remembered a door being present down here. I then realized that it was probably the exit since I couldn't see the route that Audrina had used to bring me here with. Oh well, it should be normal. Hopefully, I was past the abnormal state here. _No more shocks. _I thought grimly to myself as I twisted the knob.

I was used to all the weird looking entrances; I'd definitely feel solid ground again. How wrong I was! I couldn't! And when I looked down….! I was falling from the tower!

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. This fall was literally never ending. As exhilarating as meeting Death was, I had better plans in mind for such an early stage in my life. Before I could think any further, I landed on a mountainous pile of really fluffy pillows which immediately exploded due to the pressure. _Physics. _It was a flurry of feathers as I sat pathetically while it looked as though Christmas had come early this year.

_Malfoy. _I uttered his name in disdain. Somehow I had a feeling that I was the only one who had graced this exit. Looking up at the tower, I made a rude and completely unladylike gesture with my middle finger, mouthing the words as well.

Grumbling and forgetting that I was a witch who could shield falls and cast cleaning spells I sauntered off the road towards Diagon Alley feeling like a celebration was needed. I was too happy to care. _Screw Malfoy, I'll deal with him tomorrow. _

"No more babysitting adorable brats! Cleaning, washing, scrubbing… No more! La! La! La! Ginny is now SUPER! SUPER!" I sang an aimlessly gay song that I had created in the moment of overwhelming euphoria while I skipped on the stony grounds.

I had gotten what I wanted. All that mattered now was surviving with the tedious job of being Draco Malfoy's secretary. He was definitely out to make my life miserable, that arrogant, obnoxious, snobbish, conceited, self-centered, pompous git.

The next thing that occurred to me was breaking the news to my family. How would I do that? Their baby girl was all grown up and she now had a job. Somehow, I wasn't really anticipating their reactions.

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**This chapter is dedicated entirely to my bestie, Bebo. Thanks for being my inspiration, tunahead. Love ya always! And Louis, my guy friend and personal Britannica. Thanks for the encouragement and for listening to me while I prattled away merrily about the plot in Starbucks while we enjoyed our fraps. & for laughing your head off when you imagined Ginny falling off the tower. You guys made my day and staying up all night to write worth it. :D**

**I'm a newbie to HP fanfic. Yeah, real late I know. Do review and give it a chance. :p**


	2. Chapter 2 To Break or Not To Break

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 2. To Break or Not To Break**

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I whistled merrily, a meaningless but happy tune spreading my joy to the rest of the world. At least, wanting to. It was no perfect day out there with the clouds having turned elephant grey and the cold mist announcing the arrival of winter. I was no weathergirl _and honestly, they stink at weather prediction, _but it was common sense to know that there was going to be a heavy downpour tonight.

_GREAT! _Curse my mouth, really.I just had to finish that sentence and it started raining cats and dogs. Brrrr… I was really starting to freeze in my thin, once again, shabby, outdated cloak. Thankfully, I realized as I turned into a corner that 'The Leaky Cauldron' was just a short walk away. _Oh hey! That is funny. _I checked my GPS system on my muggle cellphone, an Iphone more specifically that was given to me as a gift from my best muggle buddies for my 21st birthday. Apparently, they thought that I had no sense of direction. They weren't wrong.

It turned out that Malfoy Empire State Building was located right in the hearts of London, the central. Beside Diagon Alley, in other words. Clearly if I had done my fair share of research, I would not have taken the train. But then again, if I had researched, I would have known that Draco Malfoy was the sole ruler of the business empire I dreamt of working in. And then again, if that happened, I would have probably flooed to the Leaky Cauldron to drown my sorrow with my favorite alcoholic drink, cherry flavored martini.

_Blast that!_ I cursed inwardly as I checked my muggle watch; it was already leaning towards evening? It was 5.45pm and I was not home yet? _Boy! That interview really took the entire day. And my energy out of me, _I yawned. _ And uh-oh, the Lupin's were invited to dinner tonight to celebrate The Chudley Cannons victory in the Quidditch Premier League, EQPL in short. _

I was running late, mum would probably be throwing a fit. Hermione would probably be scuttling around in the kitchen, trying to help her. And Fleur would be forced to mash the potatoes since that was my job. And that would make her crabbier than usual.

"Vat issh dis, Ginny…. I am mashing potatoes for you… Ohhh… back in my family, a heavily pregnant woman is treated like royalty. Like the Queen Ant in a colony who just has to sit down and lay eggs. Oh Bill! "And she would probably weep like I sent her to exile or something. I pictured her mentally.

_Merlin, don't ever make me throw a fit like that if I am heavily pregnant. _I quickened my pace, not wanting to endure an hour lecture on the importance of punctuality. _Goodness! _I tried quickening my pace but had to slow down because of my broken stiletto heel.

I was really in for it. These were really expensive and were Fleur's favorite pair of shoes to wear to any social event. They were designer, Marvin Choque original. Fleur revered him, being a designer herself of a trendy brand, specializing in teenage fashion. And she was totally going to kill me! I had finally gotten used to living with Phlegm and her nonsensical need to comment over every little thing in superiority. Now, she was going to focus all that criticism on me. _Thank Merlin for the job, seriously._

_JOB!_ I rejoiced again, smiling triumphantly. But, oh goodness me, I was a mess! And I only realized that after muck was splattered all over my clothing, not to mention looking like a half drowned… weasel thanks to the gloomy weather. I looked like a girl who worked on the farm. Doing the best to look as presentable as I could with the cleaning and drying charms once I stood right outside the sheltered entrance of the pub, my mind bounced right back into the thoughts of my job.

_Job! Job! Job! Ginevra Weasley is independent now! _But that was not the problem, to me at the very least. It was….

_To break or not to break the news to my family? _I was in a real dilemma. Sure, the war between all good and evil had met its climax, and there were a few surprise packages like the least expected joining the good side. Yes, I was referring to none other than Draco Malfoy himself.

He had worked fantastically as a double agent for the Order of The Phoenix alongside the late Professor Severus Snape and his best friend, Blaise Zabini. I think, or highly assumed that Lucius Malfoy had not known until the very end and neither did the foolish, power hungry old Voldy. It was this betrayal that had thrown the victory light towards the good side. The very same had helped Harry ironically _conquer the Dark Lord._

We all had to admit that had without Malfoy taking a stepping stone, Harry Potter would have probably been defeated and the world would have been no better than a shriveled up ball in Hell. He had certainly made his mother proud because despite her late, Deatheater husband's mistakes or crimes would be a better word, she still held her head high in pride amongst the crowd. And walked like the Queen, if I may add.

They were different from everyone's expectations, I supposed. And no, sadly, I wasn't there, I had to look it up after being sent into exile.

Despite the fact that Malfoy was now a prominent member of the Order of the Phoenix, the barriers of hatred had not been broken down between him and the Golden Trio. Some things never changed despite the time that flew by. Though from what I heard, they maintained a rather civil relationship by acknowledging each other's presence without the usage of vulgarities, curse words, hexes and such.

However, I knew those eleven years of enmity could not be broken down in a day. It would take ages. The Trio would always be 'Potty', 'Weasel King' and 'Mudblood' to him and he would be 'The Great Bouncing Ferret' or 'The Royal Git' or just something infantile to them.

They would definitely have a problem with me working for him. In fact, I can just imagine Ron turning purple and bellowing at the top of his voice. And since Malfoy himself wanted a curvaceous probably blonde secretary, they might actually join forces to get me fired.

Mum and Dad might not object because from what it seemed, they were alright with the remaining Malfoys. I did hear Mum remarking when she and Dad had returned from a Ministry event.

"That Malfoy boy is really charming without his father's influence, isn't he, Arthur dear?" To which, Dad sighed tiredly and agreed.

The rest of my family weren't so bad, Fleur aka Phlegm would gush over his handsomeness. Bill would roll his eyes and ask me if I truly wanted to do that. Charlie and his wife, Mikayla too. Except with a bit more of details. Percy would give me an entire unpublished biography of Draco Malfoy verbally. And Penny would swat him for lecturing me.

Fred and George and their wives Alicia and Angelina respectively would recall him from Hogwarts and invite me to blow my creative juices in their ongoing investment, 'Weasley Wizard Wheezes'.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. I walked into the Leaky Cauldron immediately greeted by the bartender, Tom. The warmth was totally inviting. I was not quite eager to get to my cosy home.

"Miss Ginny! On a cold evening? And how are the rest of the Weasely's doing? How about the usual?" He greeted me with the usual toothy grin tempting me to stay over at the thought of my delicious cherry martini.

Absentmindedly, I gave him a small smile, "Not tonight, Mr Tom, sir. I'm running late right now. I'll be seeing you more often though." I promised, cringing internally at the thought of the amount of stress that was awaiting me.

Reaching the Floo gate hurriedly, I grabbed a handful of floo powder and flunged it right into the blazing flames that were now highlighted with a mystical green glow.

"The Burrow." I said as clearly as I could even though home was really one of the last places I had in mind.

Gales of laughter and the familiar scent of burning pine wood greeted me as I exited from the floo gate or chimney. Whatever. Because, technically it was a chimney even though we wizards called it a floo gate. _Oh Ginny! Stop procrastinating already. Just get it over and done with. Walk right into the hall and tell them everything truthfully. They'll appreciate the truth. _

I started walking with those words of encouragement but stopped midway when another part of my conscience asked, "What if they don't?"

There was a whole world of possibilities out there but there were some things in life that just couldn't change. For example, the late, loathsome muggle dictator, Adolf Hitler liking anyone who was not an 'Aryan'. Voldemort liking muggles. The Capulets and the Montagues liking each other. Or something that was just from home, the Weasley's and the Malfoy's liking each other.

The statement 'Nothing is impossible" was a real joke. The dude who said that obviously didn't meet us, Weasley's. Now back to the impossible, if any of these were to change, our worlds would basically turn upside down.

"Ginny dear! You're home, finally. Oh but, you look a mess." Typical mum greeting as she exited the hallway having been informed of my arrival by her wizard clock.

"What happened to you, darling?"

_Nothing, just went for an interview, landed a job with Malfoy and fell out of the tower. Nothing out of the ordinary at all, mum._

"Oh hello, mum." I greeted her nervously as she cleaned my cloak with just a quick flick of her wand. Continuing, "Nothing, it was raining at Diagon Alley and I fell near the dumpster at the Apothecary. So feathers…." I trailed off.

I would have thought that my mother, my very sharp mother would have spotted a lie within a ten mile radius but she just completely brushed me off. I guess that's what being busy does to you. No time for unimportant lies.

"Well, you're on time, now quick, go get yourself cleaned up before the Lupins come over. I won't have my only daughter looking like a bag of dirt." She grimaced at my unruly appearance.

"Yes, mum" I obeyed her and went to do so.

I was late to the dinner table by ten minutes thanks to all that feathers in my hair. It had taken a long time to wash it off with my favorite Herbal Essence shampoo.

"Hey everyone." I greeted each and every one of my family members and extended family members, the Lupins, sheepishly as my mother gave me one of her 'I'll-nag-at-you-about-this-later' glares.

"Sorry, I'm late. It's been a long day." I sighed, sincerely regretting being late to dinner. I mean, who wouldn't with a mother who could rival any professional chef in terms of cooking. Seriously, we should and opened an F&B business, with mum's brilliant cooking; we'd be richer than the Malfoy's. This people just never saw a potential business venture.

"Takes time to wash feather out of your hair you know." I added casually as though it was no big deal as I settled down not before giving six year old Teddy Lupin a hug. Hermione handed me the bowl filled with potatoes in gravy with a smile.

"Thank goodness you don't have hair like mine, Gin. Or else you'd end up washing it until midnight and even then not all of it would be off." Everyone laughed at her little comment. Years ago, I would have agreed with Hermione's statement. Her hair used to be bushy up until her fourth year when she first used some hair product and made it all slick and shiny.

Eventually, muggle hair treatment and constant caring for it brought Hermione's beautiful to shine. She'd been approached by tons of shampoo companies both magic and non-magic for endorsement which she politely refused. I guess sometimes a little care for your self was all it took to look good.

Thankfully though, her little attempt at humour diverted mum's attention away from me. She was entirely focused on praising Hermione's Rapunzel-like curls. I shot her a thankful look and moved forward to help myself to some of the mouth watering Shepherd's pie that I had been eyeing ever since I had first entered the kitchen.

"So, Ginny, how come you were in Diagon Alley and didn't stop by the shop?" Fred inquired trying to sound all casual but I could sense the concern in his voice, it was visible in his eyes too. George on the other hand had his attention entirely focused on me. I didn't blame them, to be honest. I made it a point to stop by their shop even for a mere two minutes. After all, Fred and George did not live with us anymore. They lived right above their shop in Diagon Alley. And they were the only brothers not living in the vicinity.

Afterall, Bill lived in Shell Cottage just a short walk away and Charlie lived at Malory Hills that was also within the area. Percy on the other hand, lived with us. I guess you could say that he wanted to make up for abandoning mom and dad when they needed him the most. That was his repentance.

Ron was overseas most of the time with Harry and Hermione and hence, they didn't feel the need to buy a place of their own. Whenever the season ended, they just came and lived for a month or two before they left once again. Although, Harry already had his own home, Grimmauld Place, the house that belonged to his late godfather, Sirius Black, he preferred to live 'where the good memories were' according to him. Oh well.

"I wasn't exactly in Diagon Alley. I was in the area though." I admitted, looking down at the table meekly. This apparently caught everyone's attention as they looked up at me sharply. _Of course, what was right beside Diagon Alley and spelled 'danger'? Knockturn Alley. And one million galleons go to…. _I had no purpose to visit that place unless I had a death wish. It was still as grimy, ill-reputed and dark as ever. Some things just never changed.

"Er…Gin, where exactly near Diagon Alley?" Harry asked cautiously because he knew that he would be treading on dangerous lines.

"Corporate Alley. I went to apply for a job there. And guess what? I GOT IN!" I finally showcased my excitement and happiness to my family.

"That's great, Ginny! We are so proud of you, my dear." Mum praised me in warm delight as there was a huge chorus of 'congratulations' around the table. Dad was really pleased too.

He smiled proudly and said, "My baby girl is all grown up now." Tonks and Teddy were both applauding for me. Only Professor Lupin sat in stony silence.

"Is everything alright, er, Professor?" Hermione asked tentatively. We still called him professor despite the fact that he taught us Defense against the Dark Arts back in Hogwarts nearly ten years ago and had long since resigned.

He turned to me and said, "Who are you working for, Ginny? The only open post that I know of in Corporate Alley is the job of the Malfoy boy's secretary."

There was a stunned silence at the table. Ron was the first to speak which was really surprising because he usually gobbled like a turkey.

"It's got to be someone else. Ginny wouldn't be working for that git for all the galleons in the world. Working for Malfoy is like selling your soul to the devil. Right, Gin? C'mon, tell him" Ron looked at me reproachfully as he took my side according to what he believed.

When I cringed, everyone realized that Ron was wrong; I had indeed been accepted to work for Draco Malfoy. My silence was consent.

"GINNY WEASELY! HOW COULD YOU BETRAY YOUR FAMILY LIKE THAT?" Ron cried out in an outrage. He wasn't the only one though; there was an explosion at the dinner table. Poor Teddy Lupin had already started crying in fright from all the noise that the men were making. Tonks had to bring him out to calm him down.

"You are not working for him, baby girl because, none of us here are going to have our bread and butter being provided by a Malfoy. FILTHY SCUMS!" Dad roared.

"NO WAY, GIN! I don't trust him." Bill told me seriously while Charlie and Percy agreed alongside.

"Do you know what kind of man he is…?" Percy thundered with a dramatic beginning to Malfoy's biography. Penny heartily agreed with him.

While Fleur, surprisingly had good things to say about him, the rest of my family were full of negativity. Alicia and Angelina were recalling him from Hogwarts. And Bill and Fleur had gotten into a fight because of me.

"Nu-uh, Ginny Gin. No can do." The twins told me, disgusted.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Ginny. The shame that you are causing to our family! We have the MONEY now." Mum screamed clutching her heart. You'd think I just broke news that I was pregnant or something like that to her.

Ron probably had taken the news worst alongside the remaining Golden ones.

"Really Gin. Malfoy?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"The ferret?" Harry looked appalled at the idea.

"DIRTY DEATH EATER SCUM! I DON'T CARE IF MALFOY HELPED US IN THE WAR. HE WILL ALWAYS BE A GIT TO ME! I BET HE IMPERIUSED HER!" Ron bellowed like a …well… I had no words to describe how he sounded. It was awful.

"We're locking you into your room until we find you a prospective groom." Ron snatched my wand. This was not fair. They did not even listen to what I had to say. It was complete injustice. I had never expected them to do this to me. But then, I had never expected them to betray me once and they did it, this was like a no biggadeal to them right?

I pounded furiously against my room door. _Gosh, I really missed the days when The Burrow doors were breakable even without wands. _

"No mum! NOOOOOOO!!!!!! Please don't do this…. RON! NOOO! PLEASE!" I screamed hysterically but to no avail.

BANG! I swooshed right out of the fireplace falling right onto the fall. Ouch! That hurt! I rubbed my painful butt gently trying to ease the pain away. _Merlins polka dotted underpants! What was that all about? _I couldn't help but ask myself, confounded.

As I looked around my surroundings, I became aware that I had just reached home. Which meant that, _whatever just happened was all a figment of your imagination, Ginny. _I told myself, reassuringly. Have I ever mentioned before that my imagination suffered from severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder aka ADHD? Yes? No? Well, it does.

I always had the tendency to see things. Relax. I'm no Seer. But for some reason, my mind made up all this mumbo jumbo which never actually made sense. Actually, in a weird way it did, I was always seeing things in my mind in a negative light but it never did happen. I guess it was my attitude, which was really weird because I was the ever going optimist.

Oh well, that was the least of my concerns right now. Since whatever happened was thankfully a dream, I guess I had to be sure that nothing like that happened. Picking myself up from the floor with whatever was left of my injured dignity today, I brushed the soot off myself as swiftly as I could.

"Ginny, darling. Good. You are home early." Mum greeted me approvingly but absentmindedly, entering the room as she flicked her wand towards a feather duster to dust of some of Percy's really thick but old books which I never understood why we had.

"…Go and freshen yourself and come down. I need your help for dessert. I was thinking that you could make that chocolate cake of yours that little Teddy loves so much. Oh, of course, the Lupins will be slightly late today. That's of course a good thing, more time to concentrate on….. GINEVRA WEASLEY!" My mother shrieked my name making me snap back into reality.

You really didn't think that I'd be listening did you. Of course, I heard every word she said, she wanted me to take a shower and make my specialty, chocolate truffle, something that everyone loved. She wouldn't use what technically was my full name, Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley because it would seem like she was screaming at herself as well. I thought to myself pitifully.

"What on earth happened to you?" She asked me looking astonished at my attire.

I didn't blame her, my mother who wouldn't rest until ickle Ronniekins had gotten the dirt from his nose cleaned away was now facing a daughter who looked, well, bedraggled. I looked like a hobo. I observed as I caught my reflection in one of the shiny frames.

"I fell down near the Apothecary." I offered a lame explanation which my mother accepted knowing that I was incapable of doing a good cleansing charm. I loved my dirt way too much.

She nodded her head, "Go and take a shower, sweetie. I need your help in the kitchen." And she continued with her dusting. My mother was so weird; she dusted those books every day.

I trudged up the stairs to the best place in The Burrow, my room. Everything about it just described me totally. I went to my muggle boom box and played the cd from one of my favorite muggle boy bands. Honestly, if there was one thing I hated about the wizarding world, it was the fact that they couldn't make music. The chick whom my mum was a huge fan of…. _Aaahh… what's her name? Celestina Warbeck? _Yes, Celestina Warbeck, she couldn't sing to save her life.

The last time we played one of her Christmas albums, Fleur went ballistic and all of the new crystal cracked. The high note was really that bad. Now, we cringe when her records are in sight. All of this is just crap you know, Celestina Warbeck is actually a really good opera singer, the kind where you often wonder whether she is singing or crying. But, unfortunately, the younger generation Weasley's hate her.

Fred and George charmed the records the go all haywire. That explained a lot didn't it?

Picking out a decent set of clothing, a baby blue t-shirt with a teddy bear on it and my torn denim shorts to be more specific, I went into the shower to get myself all cleaned up for later. No point procrastinating, I had to work on my truffle. At least, getting it perfect would keep me busy for a while now.

Descending down the stairs of my simple home, I felt thoroughly refreshed after a nice, warm shower. It had gotten me to think about everything that had happened today. For some reason, I didn't feel worried. I guess, it hadn't sunk into me yet.

Concentrating on achieving perfection on my dessert, I didn't realize how much of time had flown by. It was already 7.30 and the Lupins had just arrived minutes ago.

"Ginny! Ginny!" I heard six year old Teddy Lupin's innocent voice screaming out for me in excitement in the hall.

"She is in the kitchen, lad." I could hear my dad, Arthur Weasely assuring the little boy. Before he could say anything else, Teddy bounced right into the kitchen nearly knocking a glass bowl filled with salad over with a hassled looking Tonks scurrying after him.

It was not that he had earned her generic trait of being clumsy by nature. It was just that he was far too excited for some apparent reason. _Oh who am I kidding? _Teddy was excited to see me, his partner-in-crime. I hadn't seen him since the Lupins had decided to take a mid-autumn vacation to sunny Mauritius.

"Teddy!" I chided him gently as I pulled him into a big hug. "You've grown, my Prince." I said as I observed the little inches that he grew.

He was just a sweet, adorable little boy whom everyone in my family loved. We were not blood-related but we were sort of just bounded together by some sort of thread. I guess war did that to us.

He laughed playfully as I looked up to greet Tonk's who smiled thoroughly relieved.

"Wotcher, Ginny." She greeted me. Today her hair was raven black and her eyes were an emerald shade of green. She could have almost passed off for Harry's elder sister.

"Teddy's been a handful today." She said, shaking her head tiredly as she sat down on the wooden chair nearest to where I was standing with Teddy, distracted by raw cookie dough.

"Teddy, you'll ruin your appetite!" I pulled the bowl away from him as he scrunched up his face and pouted. I knew the waterworks were going to start soon. Tonks immediately groaned. Looks like this was what she had been putting up with all day.

"I thought big boys don't cry?" I reminded him of a conversation we had before he left for the holiday with his parents. He stopped pulling the face at once. Smiling slightly at my success, I handed him a little toy that was part of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes creations for little children. At once, it started amusing him.

"So, what's up?" I asked Tonks casually as I concentrated on decorating my truffle.

"Nothing much. Things have just been really busy around here. I am only doing my job part time now because of Teddy's tantrum tendencies. Mother says it's possible that we may not have been spending enough time with him. And I've been away and Remus is always so busy. I thought it was just a phase you know, the whole tantrum thing, but looks like I just got out of the saucepan and landed straight into the fire." She explained the whole situation looking really exhausted.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I offered helpfully. Tonks was like the elder sister that I never had and I really looked up to her.

She shook her head. "I guess I'll have to back out of the McDomer's case."

"McDomer? Who is that?" I asked curiously. I had no idea that she was actually working on a new case at all.

"Gerald McDomer? It was in the Daily Prophet last month. He was found brutally murdered and we suspect dark magic is involved. He used to be on the board of directors for M. Empire. We haven't gotten a lead as of now but we suspect a serial killer on the rise." She answered me thoughtfully.

_McDomer? Gerald? How come I never heard of that dude before? And he worked for M. Empire, where I'd be working soon! Perhaps I could help Tonks out or something._

"You know me, I don't read the papers." I replied applying the finishing touches. _Voila! It was finally perfect._

"Yeah, but it isn't good to be so oblivious to the dangers of the world, Ginny. You are innocent. But the world out there isn't." She finished, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I have my parents to blame for it, don't I?" I said bitterly. Yes, I was still whipped over something that resided in the past which I'd rather talk about some other time. Like when we were desperate for topics or there was something more worse than the Spanish Inquisition that was going on.

"Let the past remain in the past." She advised me as my mum entered the kitchen. Giving Tonks a motherly hug, she announced that dinner was finally served and invited everyone to join us in the kitchen.

"It's too bad that the past always comes back to bite doesn't it?" I whispered softly, more to myself.

Dinner was a rather slow and painful affair. I kept to myself most of the time not wanting to stir up anything like I had dreamt, entertaining Teddy a little, here and there. I felt really guilty because I probably wouldn't be doing that anytime soon and right now I wasn't in the mood.

"Everything alright in there, Gin bug?" My dad asked me cracking one of his lame jokes at the same time. I could sense the concern though; it was hardly like me to sit quiet throughout an entire meal especially with people whom I loved.

"Yeah, dad. Just thinking about my day." I replied as truthfully as I possibly could. In fact, I was thinking about my day. The time had finally come. I guess it had sunken in after all.

"What was so interesting about your day that you didn't join in the conversation about Quidditch?" Harry asked me curiously as he helped himself to some mashed potatoes.

He had caught me there I suppose. I was passionate about Quidditch just about as much as I loved basket ball. I was rather out of my place today.

_This is it! This is it, Ginny! You have no choice but to tell them now. C'mon, just do it. It can't be that bad. Worst to worst, they'd just marry you off to Seamus and hey, he is good looking. _

My mind totally tried to make me feel more positive but in the wrong light. Like I could seriously care whether Seamus Finnegan was dashing or troll – ugly. I mean, of course I would care but not like right now. There was a time to swoon and this was not one of those times.

I was feeling a little nauseated.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked me worriedly. I suppose I did look a little green.

"Yeah." I managed.

"So, you were saying…?" Harry prodded me on. I swear, if there was one quality I had previously admired in my god brother, it was the fact that he was resilient. He never gave up on anything or maybe I should say, he never backed down without a fight. A good one. Right now, that trait was just annoying.

"Well, if you must know, I went job hunting today." I declared trying to sound all nonchalant about it.

That had everyone's attention.

"Anything good?" Fred asked me while George added on.

"Yeah, if not, you can just come and work for us. We need more manpower."

"Trustworthy manpower." Fred continued.

"There is no one like you in this world, sis. I'd trust you with my life."

"Except maybe when I'm like blind or something."

I laughed feeling slightly better. Leave it to these two idiots to cheer me up over something as ridiculous as that.

"Pretty much." I replied.

"Did you get in?" Hermione asked me eagerly.

Everyone waited for my reply. There was a few seconds of silence before I finally answered.

"Yes."

There was an explosion of applause at the table. The last time I remembered being applauded like this was when I had just gotten into Gryffindor.

"Brilliant." The twins said at the same time.

"Congratulations, Ginny. May you go far on your conquest." Percy shook my hands pompously. _Stupid prat!_

"Cool" was all Ron had to say.

"That's great, Gin. Work hard." Hermione encouraged me.

"Awesome, Gin." Harry grinned at me, reaching over to slap high-fives.

My other sisters-in-law were pretty cool about that fact. Bill and Charlie were rather curious but didn't get a chance to say much.

Mum and Dad were the on the other hand thumping my back and saying, "Well done, Gin bug. Our baby girl is all grown up." Mum was quite tearful in fact and Dad was proud.

Tonks hugged me. And poor, cute, little Teddy couldn't understand what was going on, so he dropped the salad bowl. Which was actually a good thing because I hated broccoli in my salad.

He once again had everyone's attention as he started crying. Professor Lupin and Tonks whom were sitting beside him started comforting him. However, Professor Lupin had his eye on me when I had explained that I had been accepted to work at Corporate Alley.

_He knew. _I realized. _Ginny Weasley, you are so in for it. _

That officially ruined my dinner along with another incident. The fact that I lied to my family. Technically, I didn't lie; I just told them an incomplete truth. They knew I was going to work in Corporate Alley but they didn't know for whom. Why complete it and pop their bubble? Besides, I was old enough to take care of myself.

If all my babysitting wasn't free of charge, I'd be able to have my own place by now. And that fact really sucked.

So, to summarize, dinner reeked. My chocolate truffle tasted like dust to me. Professor Lupin kept his silence. _But for how long?_ I couldn't help but wonder.

As I prepared for my big day tomorrow, an elegant silvery black eagle tapped obnoxiously at my window. It handed me a note and flew off after ensuring that I had read it.

The note said,

_Weaselette, _

_I expect to see you at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning. Trainees are NOT allowed to floo. Just be there, by hook or by crook. Or else, you're fired._

_Draco. M_

I can bet ten thousand galleons that he was smirking as he wrote this little script. He was so intending on making my life miserable. I needed to tell someone the truth before I exploded. I decided to write a letter to my best friend for eleven years who was currently on holiday in Italy.

_Dearest Channy, _(pronounced as Shanny)

_Hey girlfriend! How are you doing? How is Italy like right now? Everything cool? Write me the details. Anyway, I am not so great. I need you right now, love. My life has officially just gotten screwed. And I brought it on myself._

_Remember how I told you that I was going job hunting? (via e-mail) Well, here is the thing. I got the job at the place I have been dreaming of for years. M. Empire. But you won't believe who the owner of the damn place is….._

_DRACO BLOODY MALFOY!_

_You remember him from Hogwarts right? That asshole. Yeah, he is my boss. And I was clueless about it until the end. And now, he is out to kill me. Gosh! _

_That's not all. Mum and Dad have got no fecking clue. I mean, they know that I am working but they don't know for whom. I don't know whether to feel guilty or relieved. Oh but Lupin knows. Teddy is great by the way….! Tell me about your stuff. I need you, your advice and a distraction. SOON!_

_WRITE TO ME BEFORE I SEND YOU A HOWLER! :D_

_Love you loads and needing you so much right now! Ciao._

_Ginny! _

_P.S: Kick me._

I wondered what awaited me tomorrow.

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**How was it? You want more? Hit me with reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3 By Hook or By Crook

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 3. By Hook or By Crook**

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Guilt. Muggles had it all wrong, seriously. Tour around the whole of the United Kingdom and you'd see the occasional poster or two. Hell, just get yourself right into the nearest convenience store and buy yourself a packet of cigarettes and then you'd see it in bright, bold, red letters. 'SMOKING KILLS'. I am right aren't I? With cigarettes, you knew that you'd die someday with all that poison in your lungs. But with guilt on the other hand…. You never knew a crap about anything.

Smoking was like the Avada Kedavra. Guilt on the other hand was like the Cruciatus Curse. Point noted? Brilliant. How could my family not realize that I was hiding my achievements away from them? Even if they didn't, why did I feel so guilty about not sharing it with them? I was a criminal wasn't I? _Yeah, I am paranoid, so sue me._

I barely slept a wink for hours as I sat on my window sill, staring out at the open fields of the countryside hoping that the cool nightly breeze could lull me to sleep with its tranquility. Nope, no such effect. All methods of calming me down didn't work tonight with my thoughts going on the constant roller coaster rides.

And finally, when I did manage to fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion from thinking too much, it was absolutely pointless. My shrilly alarm wailed like a banshee making me jump out of my wits and land right onto the floor.

So, instead of trying to bring out the optimist in me and greeting myself with something refreshingly positive to hype myself up to look forward to the day like when my predictable lifestyle as a 'Mary Poppins' wannabe was available, "Good morning Ginny!..." A pat on my own shoulder and with a yawn. "…Time to kick some ass."

Not this time, my first words as greeting to me this morning was "What the fuck?"

Yeah, you got that right; Ginny Weasely wasn't all little Miss Sunshine and clearly not a morning person. I had that problem all my life. Even if I'd wake up early, my body was auto activated into a zombie-like state and could only start working better after eight in the morning. Back in the Hogwarts days, it was a miracle that I could make it to Charms or Transfiguration in time. Too bad they couldn't make Potions a morning class, what wouldn't I had given to miss that class, seriously.

It was four a.m. You got the picture. I moved around the entire house walking like the night of the living dead as I got ready. By the time I was actually done with everything, it was… well, not a good timing. Let's just say that I was so going to be late for work. And guess what, I had not even eaten my breakfast yet. _Oh screw that! Get out of here, now! _

Muttering a charm on my Iphone to charm my GPS system to include directions around the wizarding world, a spell that Hermione had so helpfully given me last night, I left the Burrow in a flurry. Oh of course, I flooed to the Leaky Cauldron.

Nothing out of the ordinary there, people still partied the whole night, well socialized would be a better term since most of them there were the oldies. Did Tom the Bartender ever get some sleep? Or even considered retirement? I knew that The Leaky Cauldron was officially owned by one of my school mates from Hogwarts, Hannah Abbott who was the landlady. And she was married to dear Neville Longbottom, Hogwarts current Herbology teacher after Professor Sprout had retired.

Yeah, but these things were unimportant right now, what mattered was getting to the office on time. And what the hell, getting to Corporate Alley was a twenty minutes walk from one end of Diagon Alley to another.

_Blast Draco Malfoy! Seriously, Ginny, couldn't you get another job? Or continued as Mary Poppins competition? _How humiliating! I couldn't possibly make it there in time. Oh curse my zombie-mode. The best way to cure it was to take a long walk which I could clearly see was impossible at the moment.

Why did bloody Draco Malfoy disallow apparition or flooing anyway? It wasn't as though I was going to bomb Malfoy Empire or something. I had a life even though he was a real pain in the arse, then and I assumed he was going to be. I was pretty sure; the thought of bombing a place whose architectural beauty was equivalent to the Taj Mahal's would never cross my mind. Sadly, the history though was not interesting enough.

Looking at my Iphone for a miracle, that a path would appear and suddenly I would descend right into Malfoy's cabin, I studied the paths around Diagon Alley carefully. There was the area for the usual hustle and bustle, Diagon Alley, the best place in the whole of the United Kingdom to get your supplies, Corporate Alley, the Wall Street of the magical world and finally, KNOCKTURN ALLEY?

There was a shorter route to Corporate Alley however, yeah you guessed it right. I had to walk through the sinister, dark, Knockturn Alley. The worst place in the world to be at any point of time especially if you were a female.

_GINEVRA MOLLYANNE WEASLEY! I can't believe you are actually considering taking the route from Knockturn Alley. _I could practically hear my mother screaming at me as I pondered over risking everything by going into Knockturn Alley. Unable to make up my mind, I decided to let time decide my fate for me which it did by the way.

In less than ten minutes I had to be standing right in front of the bloody git, Malfoy, my boss. _What a pleasant life seriously._ The walk from Knockturn Alley would take about five minutes if I walked so obviously I chose that. I mean, what was the probability of me dying on my very first day of work?

Don't answer that, really. Looking at the uninviting corner that led me to Knockturn Alley, I pulled my cloak protectively around me, holding my wand out for self defense. Taking a few tentative steps I felt as though I had stepped into… Okay so maybe Hell wouldn't be such a good word to describe it. Entering a new realm that was filled with evil aura felt more like it. Which was really weird because it was just a street.

I half expected psychopaths to jump out at me or just something that would have me sprinting for my life which, mind you wasn't going to be easy if that happened because the clumsiest person in the world was wearing heels. I was a menace to myself and everyone around me in them. Actually, let me correct that and say I was just simply a danger magnet when it came to colliding with people because of my 'I-walk-with-my-head-in-the-clouds' thing that had been going on forever.

I was still walking cautiously jumping at every little creak my heels made on the filthy ground. My mind scared me with countless thoughts that ranged from being kidnapped to sex labor and all the other mentally traumatizing things in the world. I know, I know, it's the 21st century and we are way past all that I had just mentioned but ADHD remember?

I hummed Madonna's 'Four Minutes to Save the World' to keep myself entertained and calm. Look at the irony of the song. No, you got that wrong, I wasn't into Madonna; I just liked Justin Timberlake. Out of the blue, I saw something the just zipped my mouth totally. It was a black figure standing at a little nook of the alley.

_Uh-oh. _My heart literally skipped a beat. I seriously thought that it would have stopped beating if I was any weaker. Trying to reassure myself that it was just my imagination playing pranks on me, I took a look at the corner once again, whoever that person was, he or she was still there. And there was no movement.

You know how sometimes you know someone is watching you but you don't know who it is? Well, I was experiencing that right now and I have to say, it's not a very pleasant feeling especially on your first day to work.

"Lumos" I muttered a spell to light my wand and walked nearer to the figure. Yeah, I suppose you could say I had a death wish.

"Er… Hello? Is someone there?"

With not much light, I was able to make out the silhouette of a man. A 'pop' sound had me jumping out of my wits. That figure had just apparated right before my eyes!

_What the…_.. Have I ever mentioned that I have this ludicrous fear of apparating? I guess not. Well, I do. I can't stand the 'pop' sound. I couldn't even do a test for hydrogen gas during Muggle Studies: Science, back in the old days. Not only the sound, I just knew that I would somehow end up splinching myself. Nothing ever went right with Ginny Weasley in it. _Never ever._

And now… FREAK! I had just basically gone off course; I was supposed to be at Malfoy Empire right now. Now was the time to quicken my pace.

I stood right in front of the entrance again having a sense of déjà vu along with what felt like anxiety. I was nervous, I knew. I didn't know what my new boss expected from me. And the fact that he technically didn't hire me did not help my situation at all. It just meant that I would be under his scrutiny.

Absentmindedly, I walked right into the entrance and….

"Weaselette. You are a minute late." Malfoy greeted me coldly, as he typed something on a laptop.

"Good morning to you too, Malfoy." I replied, sarcastically trying not to seem shocked. _How the hell did I actually just walk right into his office? I mean, wasn't I suppose to walk through the entrance towards some corridor and then… _My mind drew up a blank. This place had really high wizard technology.

"Its sir to you, Weaselette. And fly over if you have to the next time because tardiness is not tolerated around here. Are we clear?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Crystal, _Sir_." I muttered. For some reason, he reminded me strongly of Professor Snape. If we were at Hogwarts, I'd totally expect him to dock points or give me detention or something.

Anyway, looks like he was totally out to kill me, because technically, I wasn't late at all. I bet if one of his bodacious, blonde secretaries was late, he'd probably say, "You've kept me waiting a long time." Seductively.

_Why the hell am I thinking of Malfoy's sex life? _That was just creepy. I shuddered inwardly earning a weird look from the boss himself.

"So…Weaselette…." He began carefully.

"If I may so politely interrupt, _Sir..." _I began my words dripping with syrupy sweet sarcasm. "…I think that it is only fair that you call me by my name." Stupid, arrogant, cocky asshole.

"I can call you whatever I want, _Weaselette_." He replied uncaring as always, eyes still on that damn file of his.

I rolled my eyes to myself. _Weaselette? What the hell, Ginny. Don't lose your cool. We can survive this. _Call me crazy but I had basically just divided myself into two people. The voice in my head, her name is Trudy.

Nah, I'm kidding.

"Alright, Sir. " I replied as politely as I could, trying hard to not slap his obnoxious face.

"We're wasting time on this. If you think that you are cut out to be my secretary, you'll enter the records room and make sure that everything is organized and spic and span." He instructed me coolly, eyes never leaving that file.

_What was in that damn file anyway? _I couldn't help but wonder. I nodded my head to show that I knew what he was talking about when in actual fact, I didn't have a clue. And I did that on purpose because I knew he wouldn't be able to see me responding with his stupid nose buried in that blasted file.

"Do you have any questions?" He asked me, sounding surprisingly considerate. Okay, no. Shockingly would be a better word.

Once again, I nodded my head wordlessly.

_What do you want from me?_

_You're Draco freaking Malfoy. You're supposed to hate muggles. Why the hell are you using their creation?_

_How did I walk right inside your cabin when I was supposed to take a longer route?_

_Why can't I floo to your office?_

_Why were my services required at the crack of dawn? _

_How do you want your records organized?_

_WHAT IS IN THAT BLOODY FILE? _

There you go; the questions I wanted to ask. Studying him glaring holes into that bloody file was rather interesting. From my observations for the past two days, he hadn't really changed much since I had last seen him.

He'd grown much taller and definitely broader in terms of size. I bet he had muscles beneath that black robe of his. His face, chiseled had become more masculine and less pointed. And his eyes were still the calm grey, the kind that reminded you of a disaster impending, the dangerous calm. Draco Malfoy had really grown up from that scrawny ferret, rat-faced moron to a handsome man.

_Okay, who am I kidding?_ He was gorgeous however his personality murdered that one redeeming quality about him.

"If you do have any questions, Weaslette….." He paused, probably for a dramatic effect. "Please hesitate to ask me." And then he smirked. _I was so waiting for that. _

"You are dismissed. We'll see how you do, later." He said abruptly retreating to his file fantasy. I could only imagine what was so interesting in there. Maybe a comic. Or Play Wizard. _Seriously, why the hell was I thinking about his sex life? _

I shook all those thoughts out of my head assuming they were early signs of insanity. I left the room as quickly as I had come stopping right in front of a door. _I swear it's like the entire place had a mind of its own._

"Lumos." I lit my wand for the second time that day and was greeted by complete untidiness. The place was a mess, really. It was a huge storeroom, nearly the size of the Great Hall back at Hogwarts but about a size or two smaller.

Dust, thicker than cumulonimbus clouds probably resided in here. It was filthy. I couldn't help but think that my mother would have a heart attack the moment she entered this room. And I suppose, its cleanliness was down to me.

There were files scattered everywhere. Shelves were broken apart into pieces; honestly, this place looked as though it was taken apart by a tornado. I stumbled as I entered looking exploring the sight before me, I knew that in my lifetime, I had seen a filthier place but it wasn't me who had to clean it in the end.

Like Fred and George's old room, it was a downright mess in there thanks to all the experimentation that they had been doing. The walls had patches of many bright colored potions that had exploded and soot. Mum had gone totally ballistic and made them scrub it till there wasn't an inch of stain left.

She was brilliant at this stuff, not me. Give her an hour and everything would have been filed back to normal and the entire room would be sparkly clean. Which meant that I needed her help. Whipping out my Iphone, I looked at the time. She would totally be awake right now making breakfast for everyone else in the house, perhaps a little bit busy. However, I was sure that she would be willing to entertain me, her baby girl for a little bit.

As the dial tone connected, I found myself saying in a sheepish voice, "Er…Hey mum! I need your help…."

Three hours later, the place was on its way to being cleaned. Definitely not like mum's but not too bad either. I was covered in dust from head to toe and my nose was really itchy.

"Ahhhchoo!" I sneezed really loudly knocking down a pile of files that I had arranged without the usage of magic.

It was the file containing the records of staff whose name started with the letter 'G'. As I picked them up, a really familiar name caught my eye.

_Gerald McDomer? Isn't he the dude whom Tonks was investigating? _

I flipped his file open only to view his records. He'd worked the M. Empire for the past fifteen years as a board of director. He was Lucius Malfoy's legal advisor then and now he got promoted to the board of directors when Draco Malfoy had inherited all the wealth. Somehow, all the information tallied didn't make sense. His resignation letter was present too, within the file.

And from my knowledge, you couldn't leave this place unless you were fired. There was something wrong with this case, I knew. My curiosity was piqued; clearly I had been hanging around the Golden Trio too long. This was a mystery I could help Tonks to solve, thus enabling her in spending more time with Teddy.

I sat down quietly with the file in my hand thinking about what I had to do next regarding this matter. That was extracting as much information out of Tonks as I possibly could. Perhaps I could find an alternative.

I was so deeply immersed in my thoughts that I did not notice the presence of another in the storeroom.

"Ginny, are you done?" a friendly voice came up from behind me scaring me out of my wits. I turned behind to see a woman standing at the doorway.

"Why didn't you turn on the lights?" She asked as she clapped twice, turning on the lights. _Damn! I felt like such an idiot. _

"Probably because I didn't know that it worked that way." I replied rather coolly as I continued with my arrangement. Even with magic, three hours were not enough to stack thousands of files.

I got a good look at her, she seemed friendly enough. I briefly wondered if she was my replacement if Malfoy lost his cool someday and decided to fire me. She wore scarlet robes which were rather striking. They complimented her brunette waves well enough. She was poised and when I examined her figure, pregnant.

"Draco didn't tell you?" She asked me, looking puzzled.

"Nope, dear Draco told me nothing." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes to myself. _Why did she care so much anyway?_

"Anyway, if we're done here, I'd like to continue with my work." I really did want to. The faster I cleaned, the faster I could get out of here. I was starting to feel rather claustrophobic amidst the mountainous shelves and stuff.

"Oh, I am here to assist you, Ginny." _Where were you all this while, lady?_

"But… But… You're pregnant!" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Seriously, did Malfoy like really lose it or something? He sent a pregnant woman to assist me? Was this some kind of test before he fired me or something?

The questions started their own race in my head once again. There was no way I was going to make her help me. Living with the Queen of Hell, Her Royal Highness, Phlegm told me enough about women in her condition. They were not supposed to be doing work.

"Yeah, I am. But it's just a little bit more. Plus, you look like you could use a hand." She shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't know what else to say.

"You know what I could really use…" I told her honestly.

"What?" She looked at me, her blue eyes sparkling with evident interest.

"Company." I said simply. I hated doing stuff alone. My homework had to be done with someone present; someone who was not Hermione Granger Weasley. I'm sure everyone now knew why I didn't do homework on certain days and would end up in detention. Thank Merlin for Channy, seriously.

"Well, I guess I could do that." She said thoughtfully. I briefly wondered what was there to actually consider.

"So Ginny, tell me more about yourself." She transfigured a small shelf into a chair and sat down watching me with a smile on her face.

"Why don't you tell me something about yourself? Like your name for instance." I replied as I bent down to pick up some books.

"Oh dear! I didn't! Well, my name is Natricia Dewulf. I am Narcissa Malfoy's personal assistant." She told had a very pretty name that totally suited her and she was older than me by around five years.

As our conversation went along, I found out a lot of things about the Malfoy Empire. Like for instance, Malfoy had never inherited his father's wealth. Every penny was donated to the charities and orphanages in benefit of those people who lost family in the war. He had started out from scratch.

I was stunned to hear that. Apart from that, the original empire had gone bankrupt during the Great War. Everything else had been put to good use. He was like a younger brother to her as they had grown up together.

"I know what you think of Draco, Ginny. He isn't like that. Not at all." She stood up to perform a cleaning spell on me once I was done with all the arrangements. I had no idea why she wanted to change my perception of Malfoy so much.

_Yeah, right coming from the dude who was such as asshole, his ex-girlfriend or ex-secretary made a mess of this room in a fit of anger and he left it like that till I arrived. _

While Natricia was studying at Beauxebatons, I was the one dealing with his nonsense in school. Well, not me but the Golden Trio, one and then same thing. _Sorry, Natricia, once an asshole, always an asshole._

I know, my policy was rather narrow-minded but it worked for me. In fact, it saved my heart from getting broken by vicious Casanovas time and again. It's not like he treated me very nicely either. So I decided that, I'll believe it when I see it.

My job here was done. I followed Natricia out to Malfoy's cabin door which I figured would be awaiting me. Tentatively, I knocked; a bored voice permitted me to enter.

There he was, this time not boring holes into a file but was in the midst of, I suppose, writing a letter. He looked up and narrowed his mercury eyes when they met my plain, brown ones.

"Weaslette?" He said my _name _as though asking a question.

"I'm done, S_ir_." I informed him feeling rather proud of myself. I had realized that I may not have gotten a preference over arrangements but I followed the standard, library style. He had to know where all the records were found. But honestly, with all that high technology, I seriously wondered why they needed a storeroom for all that records. They could be preserved in another method right with the muggle hard drive and back up data system.

"Take down whatever I dictate." He scowled, looking as though he had better to do.

I stared at him clueless until he thrust plain parchment and a classic, eagle-feathered quill into my hand. _Ouch! _I winced as the sharp nub of the quill pricked my thumb. No wonder he used such a pen. I guess he wanted me to construct a business letter for him.

"Who is the letter for, _Sir?" _I couldn't help but calling him with a rather sarcastic edge.

"No one you know. Now get on with the letter." He was about to start dictating to me when the door opened and none other than Narcissa Malfoy walked inside.

Have I ever mentioned that she was the type of woman who could walk into the room totally clueless about the aura she gave off and yet make every female's self-esteem take a hike? Yeah, that was Narcissa Malfoy. And today, she looked a bit peaky, definitely paler than usual.

Malfoy immediately stood up to greet his mother. He acknowledged her presence with an elegant peck on both her cheeks.

"Draco dear, I need to talk to you about something. Ginny, would you mind excusing us for a minute or two?" She asked me.

_Huh?_ "Oh yeah, sure go ahead. I'll be right back." Before I left the room, Malfoy stopped me.

"Weasley." His stormy eyes met mine. "Take this."

As I left, I realized, that was the first time he'd actually called me by something I would actually prefer to hear. Guess it took the entry of his mother to make him politer than he ever was.

He had handed me a piece of parchment which instructed me on the assignments I had to do.

The rest of the day actually went by in a flash considering the fact that I had a million things to do. First came constructing the world's best business letter. To be honest, that was my first time writing one and I wasn't sure if Malfoy would approve considering the fact that he wasn't polite in general. Well, not to me at least.

And then I had to organize Malfoy's business meeting schedules. _That guy had enough meeting schedules to last him a lifetime. _He was a downright workaholic. That took me ages and when it was finally done, I was extremely proud of myself. Everything was in order.

I just about skipped towards Malfoy's cabin to gain his approval. On my way, I took a look at the timings and… CRAP! It had been ages after office hours. There was a standard timing. I supposed things didn't work that way for me, I left only when the boss left.

Tentatively, I knocked on his door, wondering for a wild minute if I was the only soul in the office. _Who knows, Malfoy could've gone home and locked me in here. _

"Come in, Weaselette." I felt astonished, how did he know it was me?

"I brought your daily organizer. Everything else is done." I said as confidently as I could. _Why was he looking at me like that? It sure didn't help that we were probably the only two in this tower._

He studied the entire thing carefully and looked at me expressionlessly. "Is that all?"

"Er… Yes, _Sir." _I replied, wondering if I had made a mistake.

"Very well then. Follow me." He stalked out of his cabin, his black robes flowing alongside his proud stride.

I vaguely wondered where we were going but to my surprise, it was just next door. He muttered a spell and a glass door appeared.

"This is your cabin, Weasel." He gestured towards the room.

I could hardly believe my ears; I stared at him as though he had just spoken in like Sanskrit or something. And he just sighed, answering my unspoken question. "Yes, Weaselette. You've got the job."

"Are you serious?" "You're freaking me, right?"

"Firstly, language. And no, I am not freaking you; I have better things in life to do." He smirked at me. _Yeah, better things in life to do like glare holes into depressing files._

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" I screamed, unable to contain my happiness. I sang at the top of my lungs forgetting that it was just us two loners in the tower at the moment and basically just embarrassed myself in front of my boss.

I had converted 'When the Saints Go Marching in" to a ludicrous version which just stated one thing. "I got the job!"

_I got the job! I got the job! I got the job, job, job, job, job! _I danced around in glee. I had passed the final test! I forgot about Malfoy as soon as I had reached cloud nine. And when I did remember, I turned to look at him, mortified.

His lips were pressed together as though to keep himself from smiling, he was trying to look at me in disapproval but clearly it wasn't working, his eyes were dancing in amusement reminding me of stars in a midnight blue sky. _They were strikingly beautiful._

Remember what I said about his personality murdering his good looks though. And suddenly, as though I had totally imagined it, his expression was impassive as though he didn't have a care for the world at all.

I didn't understand why, but it bugged me to see him look so callous as though he had no emotions. I really couldn't explain why at all, I suppose for a minute back then when I did see him actually genuinely entertained, it had touched me that he had emotions after all. _My mind is seriously occupied with irrelevant things about Malfoy today._

"Thank you, _Sir." _I still couldn't bring myself to say it properly in front of him. I mean, we did have history together, like him bugging my tiny, naïve twelve year old self about writing a Valentine to Harry and that Bat Bogey Hex back in my fourth year. _Aahh, those were the good days._

My new cabin was really cool. It had this retro look about it with its zebra print chair and other artistic furnishing like the charcoal black leather sofa and ruby red carpet. There was a cute little coffee table and guess what? The best part of all was the gigantic window. The view was simply spectacular.

The scurrying of human ants down the street below; we were so high, I felt as though I was looking into a jewel box with all that light. And the sunset was spectacular; the sky was a tranquil blue with waves of pink and gold spread over like cloth over the setting horizon. I couldn't believe that winter was on its way.

"You are dismissed." Malfoy told me once I had finished looking around, _this place could use a little personalizing and then it'd feel great. _He grudgingly had to escort me to the company's floo gate since I had no clue where it was.

"You've got to get used to everything around here." He told me as I checked out every other thing that I hadn't seen for the past two days in awe. That was a lot to take in. Seriously, Malfoy was really successful in his business venture.

Once we reached the floo gate, I turned around to bid him a good night, not that I had a choice or anything. Frankly, I'd rather not. He scared me sometimes. He was gone.

I stared at the empty corridor around me; it wasn't possible that he could walk so stealthily with dragon hide boots, that too really quickly, not at all. Maybe he had apparated home or something, but without saying goodbye? That thought was really disturbing. And since when could we apparate around here?

_Oh well. _I shrugged. _That was his problem if he did not wish me. _He'd didn't strike me as the type who would leave without a relatively simple taunt. But now that I thought of it, we probably had more things to say about him then he about the entire Weasely clan, us.

"The Burrow." I said as I stepped into the fireplace glad that to end my day, it wasn't that bad after all. I had actually learned something, like a cleaning charm.

Mum wasn't too happy at my arrival because I was late for dinner, not to mention that I wasn't exactly in the cleanest state. Ron had started suspecting that I worked in a garbage dump or something which was really idiotic. For a twenty three year old, he was so dense sometimes.

They were really curious about my first day however and I told them, happily that I had gotten the job officially with my own personal cabin and everything. It was all going to be great, I could feel the positivity gushing through my body. Or maybe that was just my blood.

I was exhausted though, it was really going to take me a while to get used to the whole working thing. I was pretty sure that I could do it. Dinner was absolutely delicious; Mum had made my comfort food, the best thing in the world, chicken pie. _Yum! It was as though she had known that I would need it._

I was dead beat, but as I got ready for bed, I noticed a reply to a letter I had sent with Pig who was twittering excitedly. Some things just never changed.

_GINEVRA MOLLYANNE WEASELY!_

_Let's do that again._

_GINNY!_

_Screw Italy right now as beautiful as it is. I mean, I am enjoying myself and everything but nothing as great as your news! DO. NOT. EVEN. THINK. ABOUT. VIEWING. THE. PICTURES. FIRST. _

_I miss you too, crazy! Wish you were here. We'd have fun, tons of hot guys and everything. I hate the winter and you know that. Prefer to be under the sun at all times. _

_M. Empire? Draco FREAKING Malfoy? _

_Nice! I fell off my chair when I read that. Okay, so don't roll your eyes to yourself now. It's my fault. At least you've got someone to drool on. Just relax; if you think you're dead meat, I'm with you all the way. :)_

_And I know you're feeling guilty about Mr & Mrs Weasely. Give them my love by the way…But, it's your chance to prove yourself. So think about yourself now, Ginny. Don't forget that as much as you loved them, your dreams are more important._

_SO back to the main topic. I haven't seen Malfoy in ages. Is he hot? SMOKIN'? I bet he still is….that ….Mmmm… Okay sorry, ignore the drool. Lupin won't say a word; it's your secret to tell. Don't freak out. Give Teddy and Tonks my love too._

_Work your ass off, girl. _

_There, can you please send me a Howler. I actually want to get out of the societal parties I am being forced to attend here. Send it at night, so mum and dad would stop trying to hook me up with everything that is male._

_Love ya too,_

_Channy_

_PS: *Kicks*_

_PS2: Any word from Luna lately? Nev told me that she is out of town._

Leave it to Channy to make me feel better. She didn't even have to try hard.

However, she left me thinking...

It's a new job. It's a new day. It's a new life. And I'm feelin'…good.

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**Do review if you liked it. You won't be disappointed by the story. :D Thanks for all the reviews, I really do treasure them, please continue to do so. My holidays are starting soon; I should be able to update more often so keep on reading! **

**I'm not one for long messages but this chapter is dedicated to P for listening to me moan on the phone about having lost my inspiration. And P, if you do see this, you better give me an UNBIASED review or I'll kick your ass. Love ya! :D **


	4. Chapter 4 Time Flies

**Working for the Dragon. **

**Chapter 4. Time Flies**

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An entire month went by in a flash. I felt as though I had been working in the Malfoy Empire for ages; like maybe an entire lifetime. _Gee, I wonder how working for the rest of my life would actually feel like if working for a month feels like a lifetime? Hmm…a millennium? _Don't get me wrong, I love my job. Seriously, I adore being in total control of everything related to my boss. _B-I-T-C-H, I know. _

Everyday was a whole new experience; I'd have a 'Lessons in life' sort of reflection going on every time my shift had ended which if I may add, was unusual. I suppose though that was what being the secretary of one on the busiest man on earth require me to do, sacrifice my time. Not that I had anything going on outside of my life.

My social life reeked of boredom and dullness with all of my friends, overseas, partying in some exotic country. As for family's sake, there wasn't really anyone at home whom I could actually chill with. Everyone was actually planning to go on a family Christmas vacation to Bulgaria where the Bulgarian Quidditch season would soon start. They were all just waiting for Fleur to pop the baby; any day now. All we needed was a shocker.

She still didn't know about my destruction of the Marvin Choque original heels; they were stashed somewhere in my room. Oh and surprise! Surprise! I was not going on this holiday thing with my family. Simply because, firstly; I had only just started working for the Malfoy Empire, it wouldn't really look good on me if I just applied for two weeks of leave.

In other words, it was against Ginny Weasley's work ethics. Secondly, to basically apply for medical leave, you had to write an application that looked like it could resemble a business proposal or even a thesis report and finally, Malfoy was the type of boss who could fire you with a snap of his fingers if he wanted to. I wasn't taking any chances.

It's not like he and I were the best of friends or anything. We merely knew what was going on in each other's lives. Not like I had a choice or anything, I mean, it was part of my job. And for him, he just knew when I spent all those Friday evenings checking his schedule for the following week instead of going out on dates or anything else.

I was spending Christmas alone this year and it wasn't so bad I suppose, I was too busy to think about anything else and I wasn't really feeling particularly festive knowing that I wouldn't be able to have some true family time till the next celebrations.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone would love to know how it is like to be working for a dragon for an entire month. I'll be frank, I didn't come out unscathed. I made a ton of mistakes like not knowing that Malfoy loathed heiress, Pansy Parkinson's guts. I am not even sure how I made that mistake, I mean back at Hogwarts, she'd hang on to him for life or like he was her stripper pole or something and he didn't seem to mind.

I ended up getting murderous glares from the dragon himself. _Not my fault, moron. _

And I think we had made it clear that I was not a morning person right? Well, there were a couple of run-ins, early in the morning. I mean, the crack of dawn rule still applied. _Damn you, Malfoy. _Thanks to him, my list of embarrassing events that I would never forget for the rest of my life was updated, very recently.

I am forcing that very memory out of my brain so for now I shall say that I can't remember when it happened but it did. Another day of cussing as usual right after waking up and this time I had the additional bonus of stubbing my toe. _Ouch!_

I had done it again, woken up late. Well, what do you expect when your average timing of being dismissed from the office is when everyone is tucked in? You know something, Mum told me that I had a lost quite a couple of pounds recently, I guess, she wasn't wrong. Anyway, back to my story….

Thankfully, I had taken a bath the previous night before sleeping so; this morning I simply felt the need to take a shower. Let me just say this one thing, I forgot to take off my shower cap.

He'd grinned at me, "Trying to make a fashion statement, Weaselette?" as I entered his cabin.

To which, I had huffed and said, folding my arms defensively, "I don't know what you are talking about."

I mean, I know my fashion sense was quite outstanding and not in a good way, mind you. I still had that whole school girl image going on and plus dealing with heels wasn't actually helping me to look at my best. It just helped me look at my worst though.

"Shower caps, totally original." He came and stood right beside me gently pulling the ugly piece of bubble gum pink plastic that had been holding my nest of hair in place. I didn't know which was more pink, the shower cap or me.

My horrified expression was clearly too much to take. He had tried to hide his laughter once again but somehow, I could sense the mischief in his eyes and I didn't take his words to heart. Not that I actually ever did anyway. _I mean, we're talking about Malfoy here._

I couldn't get Malfoy's expression out of my mind though, I actually saw him crack a smile for the first time. Smile, like genuinely; eyes lit and everything. He looked pretty damn handsome. I actually felt good about the fact that I had probably been the highlight of my brooding boss's day.

He actually has a sense of humor. Oh but whom am I kidding, he doesn't laugh with you, he laughs at you. Let's just say that ever since then; he greets me every morning by pointing at his head with that usual superior smirk. _It's getting old, really. _

A couple more other incidents which aren't as interesting and embarrassing occurred. Alongside that, I learnt more things about Draco Malfoy that I would probably have never known outside Malfoy Empire.

_Facts about Draco Malfoy:_

_1. He liked his coffee extra strong, black with no sugar. Absolutely abhors tea._

I learned that on the very first time he had barked at me to brew him a pot of coffee.

_2. He hardly ever sleeps. That man can go around the entire day with merely five hours of sleep._

People like me on the other hand, would just choose to drop dead. Well, I figured that out when I had left late the night before and had come back early in the morning only to see him still unchanged and not even a bit exhausted_._ I had wondered if he was planning on changing the entire system of the empire to follow the Japanese style.

_You know; the one where the men stay in the office since it has already been equipped with a bedroom? Moronic workaholic._

_3. The things he actually did to occupy his time coincidentally started with the letter 'W'. Work and women. _

His flavor of the month, Krystella or something like that was a downright bitch and a true bimbo if I had ever seen one. She turned her nose up at everything, me included. I'd take Pansy any day over her. I mean, at least Pansy just strutted around with that cute little cat in her hand as a fashion accessory, the Paris Hilton of the magical world. Malfoy clearly liked his women dumb, which she wasn't.

….

Do these facts actually matter? They're actually equivalent to random trivia about him that anyone can say I would have probably picked off an article about the sexy Draco Malfoy in Witch's Weekly. That ridiculously scandalous magazine always made it a point to at least have a picture of him attending some social event or even sauntering right into Gringotts just to bank in galleons.

I should know, I handled everything related to him, from personal phone calls to the fact that he was running out of Chocolate Frogs. _Did I mention that he has a fetish for them? He has quite a sweet tooth, I must say. _

That's not the point actually. I was just being random. The point here is that, no matter how demanding or how energy draining it is, I love my job. _Really._

Everyone here was good to me, when they had the time to talk, of course. Hell, even Narcissa Malfoy herself was bloody brilliant. _Excuse my language._

She treated me with the utmost respect and did not ever turn me down with disdain or anything like that. I truly appreciated her for that; I mean it's not every day that your boss's mother did not treat you like a piece of dirt.

And then there was Natricia, Narcissa's secretary. She was a real doll; I was going to miss her after she left. She was leaving Malfoy Empire to take care of her future baby meaning that very soon; Narcissa Malfoy was going to need a new secretary, somewhere after Christmas.

However good and bad sadly are package deals, there were some things that I thoroughly disliked. Or rather people….

I glared at Audrina who had just interrupted my thoughts in the most unfriendly manner.

"Carrot-top, if you are done day dreaming, Mr Malfoy needs you in his office, now." She fake smiled at me, her voice dripping with syrupy sarcasm. I swear, if I had a gun, I'd whip it out and shoot her, she riled me up that badly.

To be honest, I didn't know what her problem was with me; I mean it had started since day one. When I had mentioned that to Natricia, she had laughed it off airily saying that Audrina had wanted my post and she was sour about the fact that Narcissa had hired me when she had been working for the Malfoy Empire much longer.

Reminds me of how Voldermort jinxed the post for the Defence against the Dark Arts professor's job such that no teacher ever lasted more than a year. Vaguely, I couldn't help but wonder if my post was jinxed as well. Malfoy's secretaries only left because….

_Damn! I had no clue. Need to look up on that, Ginny. And no, Ms Imagination, do not even think about going there._

Does it even help to say that I imagined Malfoy as an axe-murderer who murdered voluptuous women? Thank Merlin I was far away from the 'V' for voluptuous. I was a typical, F-L-A-T. You get the point right?

"Of course you do know that thousands of girls like Audrina want to get in to Draco's bed, right?" Natricia had raised her eyebrows at me as she rubbed her very pregnant belly.

"Figures." _What a slut. _No wonder she hated me, I had apparently snagged her _man_.

People like Audrina belonged on those trashy American reality tv shows. Like Jersey Shore.

There was Audrina and then there was Goyle. Surely we all remember no brainer Gregory Goyle from Hogwarts right? One of the two body guards Malfoy used to flock around with. The other was Vincent Crabbe. I seriously never understood how they communicated, really.

Oh and in case you were wondering, Crabbe is dead. He was _avada-ed _by Voldermort when he had failed to perform his duties as a Deatheater. _What a sad ending._

Call it a nasty comment if you want but Crabbe was really a waste of space and air on Earth.

Back to their communication, from what I recall, Malfoy spent more time calling them, _imbecile fools _than actually talking to them. The only person I actually recall him having a proper conversation with was Blaise Zabini. The mysterious, blue-eyed latino from Slytherin.

I vaguely remember Channy having a crush on him before I got sent into exile from the wizarding world. We used to look at their table and mainly at them more than anything else around in the school. That was oddly disconcerting. I'd watch Malfoy make sipping mere pumpkin juice from the silver goblet look as though he was drinking champagne. It was that elegant, really.

And when I would try to make that drinking that vile substance interesting, let's just say that I got more repulsed by the drink each time. Even he making snide comments to members of his own house made my day. Meanwhile, Channy on the other hand would be drooling over Zabini's… Well, everything. Have I ever mentioned that Malfoy and I go way back?

So anyway, Gregory Goyle is the head of security for Malfoy Empire which means that every time I head down to the reception, I would be greeted with a glare by those two dunderheads. I couldn't really care less about them though, I hardly ever saw them, always being on the top floor and everything.

"Right on my way, _Bimbobrain_." I replied to Audrina adding the last part mentally. Equipped with the necessary secretarial items like a quill and an organizer, a Blackberry would be a better word, I marched right into Malfoy's office.

"You called, _Sir_?" I asked him in a rather bored tone.

He looked up from his laptop. _Seriously, he has a Blackberry, an IMac, I wonder if he has Facebook? _

"I'll be leaving for a business conference tonight and will only be back around Christmas Eve. I have decided to let Natricia take her maternity leave early, therefore, for the next two weeks; you're going to be Mother's secretary. If we can't find her a new secretary soon, you probably would have to do double shifts as hers and my secretary…." He gave a little stretch apparently making me realize that he was as human as I was.

-"Now, tell me, Weaselette… Would you be interested in this temporary placement? Of course, you'd be paid extra until we hire a new secretary." He gestured towards the direction of Narcissa's office.

I stared at him as though he had just spoken to me in Hebrew or maybe even Sanskrit. Finally I managed one pathetic; ok well it is not counted as a word.

"Huh?"

" Would. You. Be. Interested. In. Working. As. Mother's. Secretary. For. The. Next. Two. Weeks?" He said each word slowly as though he was talking to someone who was mentally incompetent.

_Arrogant bastard._

"Sounds like fun." I replied sarcastically. I could definitely use the extra cash. I needed a whole new wardrobe filled with the latest robes in fashion. Oh and a couple of party dresses.

"So you'll do it?" He asked me, scrutinizing my reaction.

I shrugged, "Sure, why not? I could definitely use the extra cash." I answered him honestly.

When he had finally decided to be neutral and not taunt me about my self-imposed poverty, he started looking through a shelf for a file.

"Weasely, where is the Marmadas file?" His fingers trailed down the alphabetically organized shelves that were neatly stacked with files organized by yours truly. I came over and checked.

"I had it placed right on top of the files on your table, _Sir._ I assumed that you were going to look through all those files and that was the most urgent one…. Soooo…" I looked at him wondering if I had made a mistake again.

"Don't assume, Weasley." He snapped at me once he heard what I had to say.

Sighing, he explained, "Those files have already been browsed through."

He looked rather tired, almost under a lot of stress reminding me of the time when he was required to kill Dumbledore based on Voldermort's instructions. I had never seen Malfoy look so haunted then, he usually was all in his handsome glory.

"Nevermind." I was surprised that he had actually brushed it off. –"Go and retrieve the file from the file room this very instant."

"Yes, _Sir."_ I scurried outside, my sense of urgency increasing with every step I took. Malfoy was the type of person who threw a fit when his work wasn't done fast enough. And I didn't really want to land on his bad side when he could terminally fire me or transfer me to become Narcissa's secretary permanently.

I liked her and all but she really lived a lavish lifestyle. Sometimes, hearing about them spending their wealth like water made me feel sick. It was my personal philosophy that we learned to respect and make the most of life through hardships and love was the one that could pull us out of the misery.

The mother and son duo really looked as though they could use some of that.

I was just about turning in the corner when I heard voices. This was one of the restricted sections in the entire empire where only authorized personnel were permitted to enter. I feel so proud; I was one of the rare few who were given such power.

My curiosity became the better of me and I found myself hiding behind a pillar in a corner looking for the people who were speaking in what they supposedly assumed were hushed voices.

"Mmmm…Greg….." I heard distinct moaning, it sounded as though someone was having a well, a mid-afternoon rendezvous in the file room. _Yuck! How unhygienic! It's so dusty in there._

How was I supposed to go in there and interrupt their mating ritual just to retrieve the file that Malfoy wanted? I listened to all the smooching noises for a few more seconds, feeling disgusted at their lack of self-control, whoever they were.

_Hey at least I had solid evidence to partake in the typical office gossip. _It went around every day, who was having an affair with who? Who was getting a divorce and mind you, the staff of Malfoy Empire had a ton of scandals going on. Natricia always filled me in.

I was curious to see who was getting it on so I peered through the gigantic vault door thing and guess what? Audrina and Gregory Goyle were getting it on in the dimly lit file room. My brain needed a wash, big time.

I had just witnessed him unbuttoning her blouse while she was leaning sadly against the shelf which had the file I needed. _Damn your luck, Ginny Weasley. _My mind would never be able to get rid of the image. Every time I saw Goyle and Audrina, my mind would surely reflect those images on me. That's what you get for having such a vivid imagination I suppose.

I closed my eyes, groaning miserably against the cold, hard walls of the entrance. _Couldn't it be someone else whom the probability of me meeting for the next like ten years is a big fat ZERO? _

"Greggie darling, we should get back to work." _AUDRINA, seriously, Greggie darling? What next? Greggie poo?_

My curiosity got the better of me and I just had to look inside to see what was going on.

"Screw work, I want this. I want you and I know you want me too. You can't deny it." He pulled her close against him, kissing her roughly on her lips as his hands roamed all over her body. If Malfoy was an axe murderer, I'm sure he'd love to get his hands on Audrina.

"Mmmm… But Mona is going to notice my absence. I was only supposed to try my luck on Draco but I told her that I was on orders to hand over a note personally." She spoke the last couple of words bitterly, I realized.

That got Goyle to stop and he looked right up at her, "I'm guessing that it didn't work, did it?"

"He completely brushed me off." She cried out indignantly.

Continuing, "It was as though I didn't even exist. He barely looked at me and said, "Tell Weasley to come and see me now."

-"Stupid bitch, she always ruins everything. First it was the post, now this." _Ouch. _

"Don't worry, she won't be his assistant for long, I have plans to get her fired." Goyle, well, comforted her. Seriously, just get a room already.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing; they had plans to get me fired? I had to hear more.

"….And then as Malfoy's friend, I'll recommend him to hire you. Seduce him and then seize his powers. Get him to sign the power of attorney papers and then it's all ours. With this accomplished, in no time, our real mission would be successful." He finished and they laughed in excitement.

I could feel the blood draining from my face. There was a whole plot to seize Malfoy Empire! They were probably out to kill Malfoy too. I was stunned from all that I had heard. I couldn't bear to watch them anymore. My hand was covering my mouth to prevent myself from making any noise. I was close to hyperventilating; that always happened whenever I was in panic mode.

I shut my eyes once again forcing myself to take deep and long breaths. I had to hear if they had anything else in mind. Once again, I peeked into the room, nothing that wasn't steamy apparently. I watched them for the next few minutes, my mind bubbling away merrily with the millions of thoughts racing through my head.

I was so out of it, I didn't realize that there was someone behind me.

"Weasley."

The voice made my blood run cold and my eyes widen. I felt like a deer caught in headlights. I turned around, facing Malfoy with wide eyes as he looked at me with the smallest hints of curiosity. However, he did not pursue the matter further, thank Merlin for that.

I stared at him with questioning eyes, feeling horrified internally. He did not know that plans they had in mind for him. He wasn't aware of the dark cloud also known as trouble that was looming over his head. He knew nothing and it made my heart ache. That was injustice. What did they want from him?

I had to know everything including who was the mastermind behind this plot to destroy. I may not have known my boss very well but no one deserved whatever plans they had in mind. He had to know. But how? I had no proof on me at all. Whatever I would have presented would have been totally baseless.

"Are you alright?" He placed a hand on my shoulder, uncertainly. As though not quite sure if he should be displaying concern or not.

I stared at him blankly; my mind apparently too messed up to understand what he was talking about.

"Weasel!" He shook me gently making me snap back into the horrible truth of reality.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm good." I answered the very first and probably the stupidest reply that came into my mind.

He gave me a weird look but didn't say anything else that was not part of his main concern.

"Marmadas file?" He held his hand out looking at me questioningly.

_Oh yeah. _"Accio marmadas file." I whipped out my wand. Let my spell distract Audrina and Goyle and let them know of my presence, I couldn't really care less. If I was going down, I might as well go with a bang.

He caught the file lazily just as it came zooming through the door as though it was the snitch. He had pretty good reflexes, I noticed. With the file in his hand, he turned and walked off with me behind still staring into space.

When he realized that I hadn't joined him, he sighed and turned to look at me.

" Shall we?" He held out an arm to mock me but to his and my surprise, I took it even though I knew I wasn't supposed to.

"We shall." I smiled brightly at him and walked on as though I had not just witnessed psychopaths plotting the downfall of Malfoy Empire.

His arm, oddly felt warm, comforting. I guess it comforted me, within that nothing bad had happened yet and there was still time to prevent whatever the catastrophe that was waiting to fall. He was pretty muscular, I could tell because I could feel his hard muscles through the soft, black velvet coat that he was wearing.

As we walked on in silence, I grew calmer and released my hold on him. He glanced at me, probably to make sure that I was mentally stable. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder if he thought that I was crazy, the most ridiculous events always occurred in front of him. Hell, the top three incidents on my mental list of embarrassing moments had his name in it.

"So where are you going for your conference?" I asked him casually as we walked on to his office. It wasn't a long walk but for some reason, we weren't actually walking really fast.

"Argentina." He didn't bother to say anything else. I mean, for all I knew, Argentina could be as big as the USSR. And seriously, who ever heard of having a business conference in Argentina for wizards?

Most wizard business conferences from what I knew were held either in Bulgaria, Romania, Egypt or England as these were the most powerful wizarding countries. Most wizards came from these countries.

_Odd._

Maybe he was going on a romantic vacation with Krystella. Oh I wouldn't know.

"Cool." I nodded my head as we finally came in view of his cabin.

"Don't go back to your office, Weasley. I have something give you." Malfoy stopped me from walking in the direction of my cabin.

"Sure." I followed him to his cabin which was right next door to mine wondering what on Earth could he possibly have to give me.

Inside, he walked towards his table which was totally clean of everything except the necessities like elegant eagle feathered quills and spare bits and pieces of parchment and tapped a drawer with his wand. I never realized it till today since his table was usually cluttered with files and his laptop that his table was actually made of glass.

It was pretty cool considering that the drawers attached were made of wood and were a grayish white that looked like it was made out of opal under the sunlight. He pulled out a small, black pouch along with a piece of parchment and handed them both over to me.

The pouch was made out of velvet, like his coat and it was rather heavy. I shook it a little while maintaining a tight grasp, it jingled. Still unsure, I decided to ask him.

"What is this for?" I looked at the parchment which had something written on it.

He awarded me with another weird look. _Looks like weird looks are all that you are going to get, Ginny!_

"Your salary?" He made it sound more like he was asking a question than giving me an answer.

_Oh. _Okay! I had totally forgotten about the fact that now that I was working, I was going to receive my salary. And the best part was that it was my very first salary.

I felt my mood lighten considerably as I stared down at the heavy pouch in my hand. I could literally imagine the galleons jingling in there. I could use my own salary, make a vault of my own in Gringotts and spend money on getting some decent clothes.

I was lost in my own little bubble of joy so much so that I hugged Malfoy, happily.

_YES. You bet I did._

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" I hugged him tightly. He was stiff against me, as though shocked that I had hugged him. I was completely unaware of my actions because of my happiness. I hadn't realized the proximity of our closeness, apparently we were close enough for me to smell him and I suppose you could say vice versa.

I inhaled his scent, he smelled delicious; there was a hint of citrus on him probably his cologne or even his aftershave and a spicy scent of cinnamon, combined. Completely original, I couldn't exactly tell but whatever it was, it suited him just right and he smelled absolutely yum!

I guess after a few seconds of uncomfortable stiffness and I guess, silence, he patted my back awkwardly and just had to pop my little bubble by saying….

"It's alright, little weasel, you don't have to thank me. Just go and buy yourself decent clothes."

Immediately, I pulled away glaring at him but sadly not fiercely enough because I guess that was what I intended to do with my salary. He smirked at me while I childishly folded my arms.

_Stupid asshole._

"Haha. Very funny, Malfoy. Very funny."

It was times like these when we re-lived those Hogwarts days. The days when he wasn't my boss and I wasn't his secretary, the good old days when he was the Dream Team's arch-nemesis and I guess an irritating fellow to me and I was probably the littlest Weasel to him. _Can't believe I am saying that but yes. _

I mean, I wasn't even respectful to him. Not that I was when I called him, _Sir. _

I couldn't believe I just hugged him. If I had my way, I'd probably be childish and stick my tongue out at him but instead, I pouted.

"Real mature, Weasel." He noticed my pout apparently. It was no ordinary pout, alright. It was the best one that I could have mustered up, it had never failed to work its magic on anyone. Malfoy was hopefully no exception.

"Seriously though, since it's your first paycheck, what are you intending on doing with your cash?" He asked me, genuinely curious.

"I don't know." I replied –""Maybe get gifts for everyone at home, some stuff for myself. Haven't really thought much about it." I shrugged, nonchalantly.

To be honest, I had thought about it and still I had no answer. I figured that I would probably spend a couple of galleons on myself since I knew that if they, especially Ron, ever found out that I used my salary from Malfoy to buy gifts for them, it would mean my THE END.

"Haven't done Christmas shopping yet?" He sat down on the chair casually as though he had all the time in the world. I stood defiantly before him, not that I needed to of course, I just wanted to. _I had an ego to take care of._

I shook my head. Who would honestly have the time to go for Christmas shopping when your boss made you work technically around the clock? Seriously, I was the one without a social life here.

"I'll do it next week or something." Yeah, I was the type to run out of the house at the eleventh hour just to do some Christmas shopping. Usually, I loved making handmade gifts for my family and friends like simple cards or even food for the special occasion.

-"What about you?" I wondered what the rich and affluent could possibly get for one another.

"All done." He simply replied as he twirled an eagle feathered quill absentmindedly.

"Anyway, Weasel, since I'm leaving soon and Mother is not around in the office today, you may leave early today. It'll be good to get started on that Christmas shopping of yours for Merlin knows how many people you have to shop for." He finished the last part wryly.

I guess you re-lived the old times during Christmas. Maybe he was missing Ron a little too much. I rolled my eyes at his little comment. _And he called me childish._

As he wished, I walked into my own cabin and grabbed my stuff basically my satchel containing my Iphone and other important stuff. I placed the velvet pouch containing my salary and the parchment which stated that I had received my salary inside and walked out looking for the signs that guided me towards the exit.

As I stepped outside of my cabin, I glanced at Malfoy's closed door, my heart sinking remembering the events of today. I couldn't remember the last thing I had heard from the vile couple when Malfoy had interrupted my well, spying.

Who knows, maybe they knew that I was there. Whatever it was, I needed help on solving this case. First though, I needed information.

He didn't deserve any of that. No one did. I kept telling myself that continuously as I walked away from both our cabins. For some reason, I didn't feel happy walking away just like that, I had to say goodbye to him before he left for Argentina tonight.

I walked right back and burst right into his cabin, forgetting to knock on the door. My imagination was running wild as I thought of Audrina's and Goyle's plans to harm the empire. Who knew what bad intentions they had towards Malfoy?

He looked up from the file that he was reading; the Marmadas one and looked at me for an explanation.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack with the way you basically exploded right through the door." He said, sounding rather irritated.

"I couldn't leave without saying goodbye." I replied, a little breathless from nearly starting to hyperventilate.

He folded his arms across his well defined, muscular chest. –"Well, goodbye then."

I sighed to myself. Snobs were really clueless people, that was not how you bid farewell to someone who was leaving.

"Not like that, Malfoy!" My irritation matched his.

He looked at me in confusion wondering what I meant. At that moment I didn't really care whether he had Krystella in his life or some other chick. I practically jumped on him, hugging him tightly.

He staggered a little; obviously not expecting me to well, assail him but he managed to keep us both in balance.

"Weasel!" He called me in a strangled tone but I couldn't care less. Looks like my emotions were on a haywire today.

I finally pulled away, -"I'm saying goodbye." I explained as though that made all the sense in the world.

He gave me a third or maybe millionth weird look.

"You really are out of it today aren't you?"

I had no answer to that so I replied…

"Happy Christmas, Malfoy." Those two words of wishes to him contained everything else that I had to say.

_Take care._

I made a move towards leaving his cabin when he stopped me by saying something really unexpected.

"Happy Christmas to you too, Weasel."

I stopped and turned to look at him. He smiled and shook his head at me. I felt a smile spreading across mine as we looked at each other.

Looks like Malfoy and I had reached a mutual understanding.

_Merlin, I saw him smile._

I suppose, maybe I was going to miss that arrogant asshole afterall. I had his mother to look forward to and Natricia had told me once that Narcissa was very particular about attire. Looks like maybe I had to borrow robes from Fleur or Hermione.

I walked out towards the exit, deciding that I'd floo from the Leaky Cauldron. I could definitely use some fresh air at this point of time. I was pondering over my investigation plans. I needed Tonks help, that's for sure and I'll ask around nonchalantly hoping that someone would be able to give me some clues. And I'd use spying on Audrina or Goyle as a last resort.

I had definitely gained some of that adventurous spirit from the Golden Trio.

Working for the dragon had definitely made life a whole load more exciting.

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**There you go. Do leave a review, your comments won't go unappreciated, I promise. ;) **


	5. Chapter 5 Narcissa: Change is Good?

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 5. Narcissa Malfoy: Change is good?**

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Whoever thought that change is good was obviously living in denial. He or she was definitely delusional. You know the kind where you make up your own happy place in your mind and you drift off there when your life, in reality sucks? Yeah, that's it.

The truth is that change reeks! Oh I'll get over with my moaning and get straight to the point. The glamorous, most unbelievable point is that, I miss Malfoy.

Yes, I, Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley sound of mental health and contractual capacity hereby admit that I miss Draco Malfoy. Actually, I'm not too sure about the 'sound of mental health' part since I actually do miss him.

It's weird how Malfoy Empire just doesn't feel right without him. I feel so… empty, like there is nothing to look forward to at work. I suppose I got used to his air of superiority, arrogant smirk and his annoying way of teasing me in the mornings.

I miss him so much; I was a step away from putting my foot down and writing him a letter, begging him to return. Hell, I even had one drafted in my bag just begging me to owl it.

This is how it goes…

_Dear Malfoy,_

_Your mother…Okay wait… Let me change that, it just looks vulgar for some reason. Well, I can't believe that I'm writing this but oh bloody hell… I MISS YOU! Please get your hot Slytherin ass here soon. Your mother is driving me ballistic. Your sarcastic remarks are all that I have that would get me through the day._

_Missing your badass comments,_

_Ginny_

_P.S: I love your mum, I just HATE tea parties._

Letters are supposed to help you vent out your frustrations and all the other angsty feelings stored in your mind. I learnt that in therapy. My counselor, bless her heart told me that writing how I felt in a journal basically helped to unburden my soul. I hadn't the heart to tell her then that it was a journal that had gotten me into therapy in the first place. Hence, I opted to scribbling my feelings on a spare bit of parchment thus constructing letters.

_What the hell was he actually doing in Argentina anyway?_

Now for the blasted why-I-hate-tea-parties part.

Anyone would think that because I'm not a Malfoy and I'm present at a tea party, I do not have to be involved in any way apart from standing behind Narcissa. Anyone thought wrong apparently.

Thank Merlin that its winter and indoors or else I'd have personally ran away if it was summer. So right now, my basic job is to stand like behind her or at least relatively near her like a bodyguard or something, that is until all the phony ladies are done flaunting the effectiveness and elegance of their personal secretaries by making us serve the scones and stuff.

As though we're like their daughter-in-laws or something. Hmmm… Come to think of it, who knows they could be practicing? _Good lord, did I just say that?_

Oh well, whatever it is, I really pitied Malfoy's future wife every time I attended one of these blasted gatherings.

It's so bad; it's like being made to stand in the History of Magic class with Professor Binns droning on. And the gossip that they dish out, oh for the love of all that is holy, those people were in love. Leave them alone, eloping is as romantic as having a traditional wedding.

I guess I make it sound like serving scones downgrades my dignity but oh trust me, I'd do anything to serve scones. Too bad Narcissa Malfoy believes that true elegance lies in pouring tea and uses me to show off. Well, not quite now.

I'm horrible at remembering to hold the lid when it comes to pouring tea. So well, the first time Narcissa had gestured for me to take charge, I had stepped forward to serve the snob squad tea and had completely forgotten to hold the lid of the porcelain teapot, it had fallen into Mrs Greengrass's tea cup and she had turned her nose at me with utter disdain written all over her face as it had splashed on her expensive dress robes.

I had shrugged and apologized though not really meaning it. She was so snooty, turning up her nose at every little thing, my goodness! Not to mention that she was trying to hook her youngest daughter, Astoria up with Malfoy since her elder daughter, Daphne Greengrass was happily married to Theodore Nott, fellow silent and as good as non-existent Slytherin.

That's not all though, I have to wear heels with those elegant pastel muggle clothing. It was a requirement. On my very first day of work when I had reported to Narcissa, the very next day after the decision of me joining her had been made.

She had taken one look at me and said "Oh dear, Ginevra, this outfit will not do, not at all."

Obviously I had been wearing one of my hideous, old school robes. And not old school as in school uniform, old school as in the kind that little girls wore. I seriously preferred Malfoy's reaction over her horrified one. She made me feel as though I was Quasimodo, the hunch back of Notre Dame. _I loved that story._

She explained her terms and conditions to me, apparently it was very important for her personal assistant to look as though she had just stepped right off the cover from Wizard Vogue. _Oops! _I didn't have the capacity to afford the latest wizard clothing on my own despite receiving a huge ass salary from the dragon himself only a day earlier.

When I had explained my situation to her despite not emphasizing on where my salary had strangely disappeared to, she had shaken her head and instructed me to wear muggle clothing until I had enough savings to afford myself a new wizard wardrobe.

I obviously couldn't tell her that I donated 5000 freaking galleons to an orphanage in Diagon Alley, rich people fainted hearing this kind of stuff. Well, yeah, that was what I did with my very first salary and in my defence, they deserved it.

The night took over me as I left Malfoy Empire deciding that I needed a walk to calm myself down after the emotional torture that I had just endured. It may not have seemed as much but believe me, I was mentally and physically drained.

The night sky was dark and cloudy with snow falling rapidly just like cold feather that melted upon touch, I could not seek comfort from the frost at all although it cleared my mind. Tightening my thin obviously obsolete cloak around me, I walked down the bright and merry streets of Diagon Alley feeling the exact opposite of the brightness that the magical fairy lights were conveying.

My head hurt and so did my heart. It was a conspiracy, a scandal that threatened their lives. And for what purpose? Wealth? Fame? That too through dishonesty? My mind was a muddled up mess of its own. The cool air did little to clear my head as I walked down the streets, disturbed.

I could not let go of what I had seen, definitely. I may not be like the Dream Team, having the need to save every being from evil clutches but there was a reason why I overheard this. There was a message out there, something I had yet to comprehend.

And that was when I heard them, the orphans. They stood at the door of the orphanage, a magnificently designed home for children who had lost their parents during the devastating war that changed the fate of the wizarding world. They sang like angels, their voices reflecting in the night sky holding candles that glowed with warmth, inviting me in.

I recognized it as 'Silent Night' one of the muggle Christmas carols that I used to sing as a little girl to my family. I had learnt it in muggle kindergarten. It signified innocence, protection, hope, faith and so many other emotions that it had conveyed.

That was my message; it was up to me to determine the Malfoy fate. That, I had already known but at the same time, it gave me strength, faith and determination that Malfoy Empire was solely under my protection now and only I could stop evil from succeeding.

Tears formed in my eyes as I stared at their seraphic faces that were filled with radiant hope. I had found answers to my dilemma. There was nothing more than a happy Christmas when the joy you received was from others. They needed the money more than I did. I'd make do somehow without my wardrobe; I survived a month after all.

Clutching my velvet bag that was filled with jingling gold, I marched right into the orphanage and walked towards a lady whom I figured was their guide, nanny, whatever.

"Merry Christmas, they need this more than I do." I smiled feeling at peace as I thought about the littlest joys that they would be receiving.

Without another thought, I walked out of the place not giving her a chance at all to stop me. Looking back before I decided to apparate as much as I hated to, I saw the name of the organization that had given me my answer. 'ANGELI'

It was truly heaven sent.

_Yeah, I know 5000 galleons. _It wasn't much of a big deal, back in the Hogwarts days having this kind of money was considered having a fortune but recently, with the boom in the wizard economy, it was just considered a good salary, not something you could actually set your life with. My family earned more than I did, definitely.

So back to my point, if there was one, it was now decided that I was going to keep an eye on Audrina and Goyle which I did, seriously. I was even planning to take Tonk's advice regarding this matter later, when I met her. I figured, she'd be able to let me in on the Gerald McDomer case which I had a feeling, had a connection with this case.

Now, if only this blasted tea parties would end. If I were the Minister for Magic, I'd place a ban on tea parties. Thanks to Narcissa Malfoy, my daily office wear plus tea party wear consisted of pencil skirts which were knee length, silk blouses and heels which, mind you, were stilettos. And Fleurs's Marvin Choque's. I was so screwed.

They were in a terrible state, if shoes could cry, they'd beg to be taken away from me. I was the human version of the Cruciatus curse for them. My ankles were hurting really terribly from all that stumbling that I had been doing all around these days. Every time I decreased the length of my heels, Narcissa would somehow notice and increase it for me. _Life is so unfair._

_But then again, life was never ever fair was it? _

I wonder how Natricia tolerated Narcissa's idiosyncracies, they were beyond my level of tolerance.

_Just another hour, c'mon Gin, you can do this. There is no point imagining you flicking buns at Mrs Greengrass's head. _

I stared hopelessly at my maroon leather strapped pocket watch that rested on my left wrist, it had been a gift from Charlie for my sixteenth birthday and I treasured it like all the other materialistic possessions that I had which mind you, were very little. Time flew when you were having fun, or were really busy to even take a look at the time, why couldn't I have accompanied Malfoy to Argentina or something?

Today just simply felt excruciatingly long. I groaned mentally to myself, if being affluent meant I had to host tea parties and house snobs, than I'd rather be poor and sane.

-"Of course, Narcissa, today's societal meeting was brilliant." Mrs Greengrass was all about false praises for Narcissa when their group discussion finally ended. _Societal, my foot! _

They were hardly discussing the benefits of the society; at least Narcissa could not be bothered to cackle evilly at their snide comments, she just smiled elegantly and preferred not to part take in such degrading conversations instead giving diplomatic opinions when approached. She was the true epitome of elegance and class.

Despite Mrs Greengrass's comments that insinuated a horrible tea party hosted on Narcissa's part, I could tell that there was just a little demon in her that was green with envy, it had been a huge success, the food, and ambience. Heck, I would have ignored them all and munched on buttered scones if I had my way.

"Shall we proceed, Ginny?" Narcissa smiled at me encouragingly much to the horror of her obnoxious friends. Most of them didn't even give a damn about their secretaries anyway. Voldermort could pop right out and pull an avada and none of them would be phased, instead, they'd be babbling about so and so's family downfall.

"I'm ready if you are." I said, stifling a yawn, it had been one of those days where doing nothing just completely exhausted you. Or I suppose it could have been because of the constant rambling that was going on in my mind. It had after all been scientifically proven that too much thinking was mentally exhausting.

I was dead beat, though there was nothing new about that fact.

"You look tired, dear." Narcissa voiced out to me, concerned as I stifled a yawn for the second time within the last three minutes.

"It's been a long couple of days." I replied, sneakily implying that tea parties bored me to death. Of course, I didn't want her to know that, Narcissa only hired people whom she felt would be passionate about their jobs. Clearly though, I had failed in this case.

"You are not used to all these societal gatherings are you?" She smiled at me slyly, strongly reminding me of Malfoy and making me get that sad and empty feeling every time I had the sense of realization that he was somewhere in Argentina.

I shook my head, reluctant to admit. Her smile deepened, -"You know what I really like about you, Ginevra?"

She was the only one who could call me by my full name and make it sound classic.

I arched an eyebrow in doubt, what was there possibly that she could like, I had basically just admitted that I hated what I was currently stuck doing. With her, every moment felt like a year, with Malfoy, time flew by just like that; I was always absorbed in whatever I was doing.

"You hate what you're doing right now, yet somehow you are so determined to get it right. You are good for my Draco. "

I looked at her in confusion, wanting her to explain whatever she just told me, it had not made any sense at all. It felt more like she was voicing her thoughts out loud to herself than to me. To each, his own oh well. Still, what the hell does 'you are good for my Draco' mean?

And speaking of beloved _Draco, _who is probably having a boom time in Argentina, I had a message to pass on to her.

"Krystella came by at the office, yesterday." I mentioned it casually wondering if Malfoy's mother knew about his latest girl toy.

"Krystella?" She stiffened at the sound of that brat's name.

"Malfoy's latest conquest." I explained rather sarcastically rolling my eyes to myself, wondering what on earth he saw in her. I mean, apart from her bodacious figure it was confirmed that whatever was left of her brain did not reside in her skull but instead had chosen to live in her breasts.

"Make sure she doesn't get past security the next time." Narcissa said coldly. She looked furious after I brought the topic on Krystella.

_Phew! _Not getting past security next time? My goodness, Narcissa Malfoy had just spoken like a diva.

I guess Narcissa couldn't stand Krystella as much as I could.

I nodded my head, making mental notes and casting a charm to actually make sure that they stayed around in my head.

Nowadays, my memory was so bad; I actually considered dropping by at Hogwarts and asking Neville _ahem_ Professor Longbottom if he could lend me his remembrall.

Seriously though, if such charms were not restricted in school, everyone would have gotten fantastic grades for the OWLs and NEWTs. I mean, not everyone in school was like Draco Malfoy or Hermione Granger, scoring nearly perfect marks.

"What are you thinking about, Ginevra?" Narcissa asked as we both now sat at her barely used cabin at Malfoy Empire.

"Remembralls." I answered her absentmindedly. She laughed a sweet, musical note at my randomness.

"Why?" she wondered aloud, with curiosity.

I explained my situation her about how I had lost my grasp over reality sometimes unable to tell which was real. It was true though, due to my recent activities which kept my mind running 24/7, I had lost touch over everything.

I felt as though there was not much difference between one of my closest friends, Luna and me. Actually, on second thoughts, there was a striking difference, I was not thinking about imaginary creatures being present in mistletoes and stuff. Well, not yet at least.

_My unexplainable feelings of emptiness were probably part of this phase too, right? _

Narcissa laughed and told me to relax, that was key to everything else. I suppose she was right, I had after all lost a lot of devoted time to myself after I had gotten a job. I needed to have some fun. In fact, she had some fun planned for us the very next day.

"I am the guest of honour to Marvin Choque's Fashion Week, the opening is tomorrow. I want my assistant to go with me." She said sternly, yet very kindly.

_Marvin Choque's fashion week! Fleur would totally kill to go for this. _Such thoughts were running in my head.

-" I happen to realize that you are also a fan of Marvin Choque's shoes collection…." She continued, importantly.

_Huh? I am? _Oh yeah, I wear the shoes that I had stolen from Fleur, but she didn't need to know that.

"…. Marvin is rather partial to wizard's clothing if you'll understand what I am implying, Ginevra?" _Shoot!_ Ihad zoned out.

"Yes, I understand." I replied, as attentively as I could, trying to show that I had actually been paying attention all the way. Sadly, I was not that good of an actress.

From what I gathered, she had taken the liberty to inform me, kindly that I needed to wear formal dress robes. And, under no circumstances was I to be dressed like a drag queen.

_Crap!_ I didn't have dress robes of the latest fashion. Not to mention formal ones. Fleur was too petite to borrow from and the colors that Hermione usually wore would definitely clash with my hair. Channy was out of town, I was counting my options which, mind you, were very limited.

_TONKS! _My mind shrieked in delight having found a potential someone to lend me clothes. She was after all a Metamorphmagus who changed her looks with every passing day, I was pretty sure that she would be able to find something for me. Better her clothes than Phlegm's or Hermione's anyway.

She smiled at me before proceeding to read something that looked like the latest Witch Weekly's magazine.

"Oh my goodness, the gossip that they have in here regarding my son! It's no wonder that Draco has personally forbidden me from even laying a finger on this magazine! When he gets back…." She ranted on, livid at all the ludicrous gossip that they had printed inside about Malfoy.

I stared at her in stunned silence; her diva mode was showing itself a little too much today. Holy… Malfoy had instructed me to ensure that Narcissa would not get her hands on one of their copies; it had completely slipped my mind thanks to all the mind-numbing tea parties.

Picking up the copy that she had dumped on her desk as she paced around her chic office muttering angrily to herself, I checked the month of the issue, sadly, it was close to history.

"Er…. Mam," I said not sure whether to call her by her name when she was extremely close to pulling a Voldy on the editor for Witch's Weekly had she been within a kilometers range.

-"This issue is at least, erm, three months old. Malfoy probably doesn't see Angela anymore as much as he sees Parkinson." _Definitely a bad joke._

She narrowed her grey eyes at me. "This is not about Angela, Pansy or even Krystella, my son doesn't want me to know about what he does behind my back. I raised him to be a gentleman not this."

I couldn't decide at that moment whether I felt sorry for her or I wanted to snicker at the thought of Malfoy being a gentleman. Sure, the dragon had his moments of kindness but please, he was hardly a gentleman to all his conquests at least.

"When he gets back…." She was muttering to herself, again.

"Please calm down…" I pleaded with her; you'd think a composed woman like Narcissa would never ever forget to breathe. Malfoy was so going to kill me when he got back. But then again, I did not ask him to shove his tongue down some brainless bimbo in front of the paparazzi.

"Do you know why he went to Argentina, Ginevra?" She asked him, sniffing. Seriously, she was crying because she saw a picture of her only son _frenching_ some unknown girl who looked like she belonged on the cover of Play Wizard?

I should introduce her to my mum, she only ever cried if her children were on the brink of death. Oh who am I kidding? If mum had her way, she'd cry while we were all leaving for work. Still, they should get together and have a pity party or something, it'd definitely be better than having one of those tea parties, I shuddered inwardly at the thought.

I shook my head, uncertain. I mean, he could probably be there vacationing with some model or attending a business conference like he said. But then again, who would tell their secretaries the truth?

"I sent him there because I could see that my son was really stressed out. With work and all the Aurors, he hasn't been the same since Lucius…" She trailed off bursting into hysterical tears.

I panicked, staring at her in shock. Natricia had given me tips on handling her, but none of those tips included how to handle her when she was bawling her eyes out. Call me the Ice Queen herself but I was really terrible when it came to handling people when they were shedding buckets of tears.

All my muggle friends back at Oxford had told me that I had the EQ of a toadstool, not like that made any sense. _Okay no, I'm joking; I've just never seen a Malfoy cry before._ _You have to admit, _it's_ shocking_. Trust me; I never wanted to see it ever again. _Holy mother of…._ _Are those tears?_

Immediately, I whipped up a cup of tea thanking the divine powers that all the resources were present and I didn't have to transfigure or charm anything. She accepted the steaming cup thankfully along with a packet of tissues.

"Er, is everything alright?" I asked her cautiously. Internally, I was screaming at myself for being so insensitive. I swear, sometimes I was no better than my brother, Ron.

_C'mon Ginny, did you really have to ask her that? Now she'll cry even more. It's obvious that she isn't okay. Seriously, how did you manage that degree in Business Law & Economics?_

She wiped her distressed face with the tissue, demurely. I watched her, amazed. I would have blown my nose like a thousand times in that tissue by now. I guess that was the difference between a Weasley and a Malfoy.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this, Ginevra. I suppose I'm not in a proper state of mind after all." She sniffed sadly.

_Seriously, who said stuff like that anymore? In the midst of her tears, this woman could remain classic. WOW._

"It's alright," I shrugged, nonchalantly; -"My mum has those I-am-worried-about-my-children-days sometimes thought not so much now. Usually nowadays it's about me. You are not alone." I assured her as confidently as I could.

I was serious, nowadays my mum cried about me not having a boyfriend, all of her other children were happily married. I mean one was even expecting. Gosh, why couldn't she just focus all of that to the Boy-who-wouldn't-settle-down?

"I'm just really worried about Draco. The Aurors have been investigating and they think that Draco is at fault because he and Gerald fought. He has been sleeping so late, I'm so worried about his lifestyle and suddenly when I see that he hasn't been doing anything good for himself at all, it was just the last straw. I love my son; I don't want to lose him." She sobbed.

That was way too much info at one go man. But sufficient info, I listened to her as she went on without realizing that she was giving me the very information that I needed to get on with my G.I.D (Ginny Investigation Department). I felt triumphant at the same time really bad for her.

"….The reason why Draco is in Argentina is because I sent him away from here. I wanted to protect him. Its design business in Argentina, Draco isn't involved wherever that is concerned, it's my business conference. I just feigned illness so that he would be protected from all that investigation. Fate has always been testing us!" She sobbed uncontrollably as I patted her shoulder sympathetically.

_So basically, the main reason why Draco was in Argentina was because he was attending a design business conference that his mother was supposed to go to but faked weakness so that he would go on her behalf and escape interrogation? And not just any investigation, Gerald McDomer's investigation! Why?_

All these thoughts raced through my mind, why was he a prime suspect? Was he a…..? _No, no freaking way!_ I absolutely refused to let such thoughts enter my mind.

I was so muddled up I could barely think, I needed Tonks so much right now. She was the only one to answer my questions.

"Everything will be alright." I said in my most soothing voice wishing there was a supply of Calming Draughts nearby. _Maybe if I could run down to the pharmacy._

I winced thinking of the consequences of what Malfoy would do to me if he found out that I left his mother in a state of paranoia just to get her a calming draught. See what I mean about the whole EQ of a toadstool?

She finally regained her composure despite that, she looked very weak.

"It's been a long couple of days, Ginevra." Her voice was hoarse from all that crying. I had a strong sense of déjà vu when she said that.

I nodded my head strongly in agreement. –"Perhaps you should rest."

She agreed and I offered to accompany her back to the Malfoy Manor. She shook her head assuring me that she was going to be alright.

Finally on agreement that she would contact me at the slightest pain or unwell feeling, I let her floo home.

Now, it was just me and my thoughts at the Malfoy Empire. I was standing at their floo gate trying to gather all my thoughts.

_What exactly was wrong with the picture? _

I felt a twinge of sympathy towards Narcissa. I had seen Malfoy myself and sometimes he just looked like a ghost with all that stress. Maintaining an empire was hard work plus one of his employees had been brutally murdered.

There was something missing around this. It was a plot, to destroy and I was going to uncover it. If only I could put two and two together, my mind had a random thought; what if Goyle's and Audrina's planning had something to do with McDomer's death?

I hadn't striked that out as a possibility.

At the same time, I couldn't help but think about the Malfoy that I had seen and the Malfoy that I had heard about, they sounded like to completely different people with polar opposite personalities.

It was another puzzle waiting for me to uncover.

For now, I decided that Tonks would be my main goal. I figured that she would have probably known by now since there are no secrets between her and Professor Lupin not to mention that unfortunately, she was Narcissa's niece. Her mother, Andromeda and Narcissa had reconciled after the end of the war.

Holy…. It never occurred to me that Draco Malfoy was the distant uncle of Teddy Lupin. _My Teddy Bear!_

What can I say? It was truly a small world.

I really missed Malfoy like hell.

At the end of the day, my opinion remained the same, change reeks!

You never appreciated what you had until it was gone. _In my case, for two weeks._

_Dear Malfoy,_

_Absence made this heart grow fonder. _

_Ginny_

_P.S: Your mother had a mental breakdown and it's entirely your fault. _

_One more week, Ginny. One more. Enough time to find her a new secretary. _

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**Draco's coming back in Chapter 6. I'm excited! Got it all planned out. I posted a one-shot called 'The Best Anniversary Gift', loyal readers, please do check it out. ;p Thank you guys for reviewing, I truly appreciate the feedback. You guys ROCK my SOCKS! ;) REVIEW! :)**

**If you have twitter, feel free to follow me. :) link is on my profile**


	6. Chapter 6 Expect the Unexpected

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 6. Expect the Unexpected**

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_Variety is the spice of life. And so is drama. _

With this little phrase stuck in my mind, I've come to a conclusion. I'm glad I don't have an elder sister. _Really, really glad. _ I figured, when you wanted them to react, they'd probably just look at you as though you just stated the obvious; like the Statue of Liberty was located in the United States of America or something like that.

I respect Nymphadora Tonks Lupin like an older sister and always went to her for advice whenever I was troubled. Today, for the first time in my life, I was actually disturbed about something that did not revolve around my sad life and she is wearing a look completely void of emotion.

C'mon, the news I just gave her was equivalent to the Statue of Liberty deciding to shift or something, I don't know. She wasn't reacting! I had just confessed to her that Draco Malfoy was indeed my boss feeling the need to pour my heart out to someone.

"Will you please say something?" I demanded as I banged my now-empty cup from which I had been sipping chamomile tea to soothe my nerves earlier. Oh yeah, chamomile tea did not work at all in situations like this. Mentally, I swore that I would never drink another cup of chamomile tea for the rest of my life. I abhorred tea anyway.

"Remus told me before we came to your house for dinner…" She stopped briefly, eyeing me and then taking a huge gulp of her piping hot tea and setting the cup down, leaning back to relax.

This is why I thanked Merlin and all the divine powers out there because my mother had been blessed with six healthy boys instead of girls. There was a reason for that.

Brothers would have exploded the moment they heard that. I know for a fact that mine would, undoubtedly. Especially Ron, his face would turn a brilliant shade of purple nearly making him look like unripe brinjals while he sputtered and tried to regain composure of himself.

Actually, any other ordinary brother would react if he found out that his little sister was working for the _Slytherin Sex God _himself. That nickname, by the way was a name that Channy and I came up with for him back in school because of his numerous affairs with girls.

I'd say Dragon, but I'm pretty sure that Charlie wouldn't have any objections being passionate about dragons, literally, himself.

So basically, all the drama resided with brothers.

I wanted drama right now; I could use a little yelling at. With all these little lies that I'm telling my family at the drop of a hat, I honestly felt like such a criminal. _I do not lie. _Of course, that's the biggest lie in the world. It's scientifically proven that the average human lies approximately five times a day.

That's a lie too; I made that up to make myself feel a little better about my situation.

"That's all you are going to say?" I looked at her in disbelief. I felt as though I wanted to bang my head on the table.

Today, with features like her tomato red hair, freckles, creamy complexion, slender yet incredibly toned body, she looked a lot like the elder sister I dreamt of having as a child but was now currently cursing.

Despite everything, Tonks was still the best person to break everything to. Or, that was what previous experiences in life had thought me to believe.

"What do you want me to say?" She asked me in a very gentle voice, making me feel much worse about myself.

_That's it._ I banged my head on the table out of frustration moaning to myself really loudly until little Teddy whom I had completely forgotten about looked up being distracted from creating an artistic masterpiece for their refrigerator and asked Tonks.

"Mummy, what is wrong with Ginny?" I could hear a little quiver in his cute voice.

"Nothing dear, she is just having a bad day. That's all." Tonks reassured him lovingly.

"Ginny," He tugged at my silk blouse innocently. –"Don't be sad…. Mummy will give you cookies."

I had to smile at little Teddy Lupin's words even though he did not understand the pressures of being an adult. Life was simple back when I was his age. I hugged him, planting a kiss on his cheek before he raced off to continue making pictures for their refrigerator.

"Yeah, I'll give you cookies, Ginny." Tonks eyes twinkled mischievously at me as I glared at her.

-" Alright. I do have something to say but that's not going to make you feel better either."

"Just tell me already!"

"I'm getting there…. Ginny, you shouldn't be keeping secrets from your family. They love you and only want what's good for you. Hiding will only hurt in the end." She advised.

"I know." I frowned, why anyone didn't understand why I didn't want my family to know about my job?

The reasons were simple; firstly, he is Draco Malfoy, we've got a family feud for Merlin knows how many centuries. Secondly, he is a Malfoy, they'd exile me back into the muggle world if they find out that I'm with danger himself.

I didn't want that to happen, my hopes, my dreams, everything would be dashed again all because of the fact that my 'valuable' life could be in danger. The last time, it was Voldermort; now I don't know who I'd be an alibi to.

-"I'll let them know." I promised meaning to keep it. _Someday, just not today._

"Someday, just not today, am I right?" She grinned at me hoping to get rid of some of the tension in the air.

"What are you, skilled at Leglimens now?" I teased her, happy that we were close towards making the topic revolve around something or somebody else. I absolutely hated talking about myself.

"Nah, I'm just smart." She winked at me as I rolled my eyes to myself.

"Whatever, can we talk about something else already?" I was frank knowing that she wouldn't mind it.

That was the sort of relationship that we had and why I looked up to her as my sister. She would never judge me without getting her facts right and that was something I really appreciated and was truly looking for at the moment.

"So do you want to talk fashion?" She asked me, giving me the critical eye.

Tonks was a real fashionista for an Auror and a mother of a six year old. She had style and was always one of the best dressed people at the Ministry of Magic despite her ever-changing appearances.

I sighed, _wait for it._

"What's up with muggle clothing, Ginny? You're working for the Malfoys."

I sighed once again explaining the whole situation to her about what I had previously worn to the office. She burst out laughing when I told her about how Draco had thought that I was an orphaned teenager during the interview and Narcissa's horrified expression on my first day with her.

Still the midst of laughter, she brought me up to her bedroom where she directed me to her wardrobe and told me to pick, _her words not mine_, anything I liked. Of course it would come with a fashion review, critiqued by yours truly, Nymphadora Tonks Lupin.

This place was like a bloody departmental store, she had that many dress robes. It was going to take me ages before I found the perfect outfit. A forest green dress caught my eye and I pulled it off the rack and showed it to her. It was really pretty, with long lacy sleeves and the rest of the dress being made out of velvet.

She took one look and said, "Too safe," before sending me back inside to find a dress that helped me being out my inner, wild self. _Over my dead body_.

"I don't know what is good, how about you pick a dress for me." I protested, wishing almost immediately that I had not completed that sentence.

She immediately walked right into the closet and pulled out a purple number.

"Try this on." She all but commanded.

I gave a submissive sigh and headed straight into her bathroom.

The dress was…. Holy mother of…. Too sexy for me.

"Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks Lupin, what on earth were you thinking. I'm not stepping out of the bathroom looking like a deranged hooker!" I thundered, hands on my hips even though she, sadly could not see them.

Only then I realised, holy mother of…. I was starting to sound like Mollyanne Weasley, herself.

She laughed from the outside, "Stop being such a brat Ginny. Honestly, you're worse than Teddy. That's just part of the dress. Now put it on and come out. I'll show you how to pull of the rest. Or, you can choose the second option and stay in there because either way you're going to wear that dress."

See what I mean about the fact that I was glad that I didn't have an elder sister?

In this case, brothers, or my brothers in particular would only be pleased if I left the house with a veil, actually probably a sheet with two holes for eyes. Sometimes that was a bane, today it felt like a boon.

I zipped it on muttering about the unfairness of the world to myself. Stepping out of the bathroom, I gave her a model pose while scowling. She laughed and used an air camera mockingly at me.

"Hold that pose, Gin, you look extremely sexy." I could feel my scowl deepening.

She pulled me towards her dressing table to show me my reflection. _Good lord, that dress was freaking revealing,_ it gave me curves that I wasn't sure I had.

It was a tube dress which was in the darkest shade of purple imaginable. It was so dark; it could pass off as black. The cloak to go with it was lilac and gave it a really sultry appeal not to mention the peacock-shaped brooch with many emerald, sapphire and amethyst gemstones all over it. Oh and I nearly forgot, it had a hood. _How cute!_

Not to mention the fact that the dress itself was so short, it barely touched my kneecaps. I was going to have to wear leggings with this, I thought to myself as I examined my reflection.

"You should wear your black thigh high boots with that." Tonks observed.

I shuddered, picturing myself strangely with a mass of untamable curls and a glazed look in my brown eyes. I looked like a cross-over between Bellatrix Lestrange and … I-forgot-her-name, that Norwegian supermodel. No way did I want to resemble those witches anyway! I had style of my own and now was the perfect time to prove it to the Malfoys.

_Leggings it is_, I decided still pondering over what shoes. My mind deflected back to Fleur's Marvin Choques. Let me tell you, after the interview, I only started wearing them because of Narcissa. With Malfoy, I wore sneakers with those robes and most of the time, I roamed the office barefooted. _Shhh… it's a secret._

"You could do your hair like this, and smoky eye shadow would make you look all sultry and mysterious." Tonks clapped her hands excitedly.

"I'm trying to look like a secretary; you're making me look part Death-eater and part supermodel which doesn't work for me." I chided.

She stared at me trying to work out the Deatheater part and finally chuckled when she realized that I was referring to her psychotic aunt. Her hair was done in a similar way except for the fact that it was a pretty dark shade of brown, chestnut or black, I ain't got a clue.

"You have to admit, she was hot." I nodded my head at this statement. If I were a Deatheater, I probably would want to look like Bellatrix Lestrange except for the fishnets and low necked clothing. I'd wear the kind the girl in the Matrix wore. I forgot her name, _er…._

We worked on my hair for a while as my mind wandered through the most randomest of random thoughts. Finally I gathered the guts and asked her quietly about the investigation at Malfoy Empire.

"Hey, Tonks…." I paused, wondering if I should continue or not.

"Wotcher, Ginny?" She asked absent mindedly as she worked on brushing my tangled bird nest of hair into red silk.

"I was just wondering about Gerald McDomer, you know the man who worked….." Before I could complete my sentence, she took me by surprise, responding….

"About time now, I was waiting for that."

At least we knew she and Professor Dumbledore had something in common, they waited for people to ask them about stuff.

"Seriously?" I asked her feeling rather sceptical.

"Yes, I figured that you would be interested in that. There is nothing much I can say because I've passed the case down to my juniors. However, none of us can figure out the motive for murder if. Draco is the prime suspect you know." She frowned, thoughtfully.

"Draco?" I echoed after her, there was a time when she never used to utter his name and suddenly, 'Draco'. _WOW._

"Based entirely on Mother's insistence, Remus and I have reconciled with Narcissa and Draco. We go to the manor every now and then for dinner, Teddy adores Draco, he is quite the charmer apparently." She smiled as though remembering a fond memory of her son and Malfoy.

I felt a twinge of jealousy that Malfoy was getting to spend time with the boy I used to babysit. I loved Teddy with all my heart and was always there to spend time and take care of him when Tonks wasn't around. I suppose though that I should have been happy at the fact that she found someone else whom she could also entrust Teddy with.

They were blood related. She could count on them.

"Do you possibly think that he is…." I stopped midway not really wanting to continue that sentence as I felt sick to the stomach.

"What?" She asked, confused.

A moment later, it dawned upon her and she gave me a revolted look, "Are you crazy? There is no way that he could have murdered Gerald McDomer, the evidences are against him. However, it doesn't help that they had quite an argument before he died. From what we've heard, they got along all the time. Draco appointed him when the Malfoy Empire was just at its beginning. He was Draco's legal advisor. He was quite distressed about the murder."

I nodded my head, "Narcissa told me that they've been giving him a hard time. I suppose that's their job though." I shrugged, not wanting to judge.

Her jaw clenched, "They have?"_ Oops! Maybe that was a wrong thing to say._

Once again, I nodded my head.

"Lucius Malfoy did own the Malfoy Empire afterall." I pointed out. It did make sense that they would be looking for items that were enchanted with Dark Magic as evidence for murder.

She looked at me in amazement, "How much do you know about Malfoy Empire, Ginny, apart from its extreme secrecy and good salary?"

"Not much." I admitted, flushing a little.

_How the hell did people have the tendency to make me feel as though I hadn't done my homework? It's a bloody gift!_

"Well, Malfoy Empire was founded by Draco with his own capital and everything right after he graduated from Hogwarts and the war ended. Around the time when you left for Oxford." That last bit caused me to flinch a little.

I looked at her in surprise when I heard that little bit of information.

"Yep." She confirmed it, "He is a real business prodigy, an inspiration to others being the youngest and most successful businessman in the wizarding world."

_WOW. _I knew so little about him and all that I heard about him kept me intrigued, wanting to hear more. There was so much that I had yet to uncover about him. So many hidden secrets, Malfoy is really a man of mystery.

My mind drifted on thinking about how much I wanted to protect them from Goyle's wrath and Audrina's powers of seduction. Merlin knows what they had in stored for them.

Tonks snapped me out of my reverie, "Ginny, you're not going to do anything with this new found information are you?" She looked at me suspiciously.

_Did I mention that I was a terrible liar? I don't know how I managed all this while without getting caught._

I shook my head hoping to look outraged, "Of course not! What could I possibly do with such information?"

_Of course inside, I was doing the Irish tap dance in glee._

"I don't know, you're weird."

"Well, you're weirder."

"Oh really?"

"YES!"

It went into childish, sisterly banter until we both started laughing. To sum it all up, I was now equipped with a dress that made me look like _'hotass' _and also possessed enough information about Draco Malfoy, enough to help.

I had killed two birds with one stone today.

Back at home, dinner was a torturous experience. It started out with the usual as we all helped ourselves to the Weasley's special Shepherd's pie. Mum started lecturing me when she noticed that I had taken a rather small portion compared to the mountainous amount on all of my brothers' plates.

"Ginny dear, you have to take more than this. You're losing too much weight. I'm going to confiscate all those muggle fashion magazines that you're always buying. Being stick thin is not good for you at all."

It wasn't my fault that I barely had time to eat; I was always busy working on something or the other.

To make her happy, I agreed to take a little bit more and I accepted it rather grudgingly, ignoring the snickers from my _older _brothers. My mind was on the Marvin Choque fashion show which reminded me, wouldn't Fleur be going? Usually designers were invited these sorts of events. Not forgetting that Fleur was a diehard Marvin Choque fan.

My pie which was usually scrumptious and left me craving for more tasted like dust today. I swallowed a bite feeling like I had just eaten pure concrete. The weight was now in my stomach. Mikayla, Charlie's wife looked at me in concern as she realized that I hadn't said a word all throughout dinner and I was usually one heck of a chatter box.

"Everything alright, Gin?" She asked me with a warm smile.

I nodded my head back, appreciating the kind gesture. She was really sweet.

"Knut for your thoughts?" She joked. I shook my head and muttered something about remembering that there was a Marvin Choque fashion show tomorrow.

That, of course, caught Her Royal Highness, Phlegm's attention and she jumped right into the conversation. Mikayla smiled at me sympathetically, my immense dislike for Fleur was not a secret among the Weasley's. Even Bill knew by now. _I'll be damned._

"Of course, I vil be going to ze fashion show!" Fleur spoke so loudly, she practically yelled in indignance. Bill turned to us, curious, having ended his conversation on market shares with Fred and George.

"What fashion show?" He wondered looking at us for answers.

Fleur went right into detail and by the time that she was done, Bill's handsome face was set of nothing but steely determination.

"You're not going." He declared.

Fleur just could not back out without a fight so of course; they had a fight right at the table when Bill tried to explain that she needed to rest. Fleur had to understand that she looked like she was going to sink into labor any day now and she got tired really quickly.

I saw his point; he was just playing the role of a caring husband. As usual, Fleur could not see that and she launched into another tale about pregnant woman in France. Dinner had turned spicy; I gulped down a glass of cold milk. I hated seeing couples fight, it made my heartache.

Fleur was so downgrading, she had to criticize everything she set eyes on. True, she had a heart of gold but she was a princess first. Or at least, that was how she was treated, and while pregnant now, she was treated like a Queen.

Finally, the argument ended with Fleur bursting into tears and waddling out of the room in anger. Mum looked at Bill and told him to give in to her, crying was not good for the baby.

I rolled my eyes to myself, earning a disapproving look from Hermione. She thought it was insulting of me to be mean towards Fleur even though she, herself wasn't such a huge fan of her.

The topic moved on to a much lighter one, Quidditch. We discussed the Chudley Canons, Holyhead Harpies and a few other teams and their strategies before Harry and Ron changed the topic to the upcoming trip to Bulgaria.

"Are you sure you can't come, Ginny?" She asked hopefully only to be disappointed.

"Nope." I said, popping the 'p'. I explained to her about how my boss would have my head if I took a day off, let alone a week. He'd even commit murder upon finding out that I was missing. In that process, I nearly called his name. 'Malfoy', it was classy even though it had a bad meaning to it. Malfoy's forefather had bad taste in naming children as much as those names were highly intimidating.

"It's going to be a blast; I can't wait to teach you how to ski, mate." Harry explained to Ron who was extremely curious and clueless about muggle extreme sports.

"And betting. I bet we'd make tons of cash." Fred said, dreamily.

"That's right, Fred. We're rolling in cash right now, alright." George replied and both brothers grinned at each other.

"I wish I could go. You all have to have doubled the fun on my account." I made them promise, sadly. They nodded their heads sympathetically, understanding my plight.

The next morning was no better either. I spent it lounging around the house, relaxing and reading a couple of comic strips that I had found printed in the local muggle newspaper as well as catching up on the latest news from the Daily Prophet.

Finally, it was time to get ready. I showered and wore my purple dress robes with black leggings that made my pale skin strike out. I also style my hair and wore make up the way we decided, not at all looking like Bellatrix Lestrange or that Norwegian supermodel whose name I had forgotten.

By the time I was done, I realized that hey, I didn't look too bad after all. This outfit did scream 'Ginny!' all over it even though it wasn't what one would actually expect their secretary to wear. I just hoped that Narcissa appreciated me trying to look fashionably decent.

Oh and I was running late!

_Nothing new about that though, _there was never a moment when I decided to slack that I reached anywhere on time.

_Bloody hell! _I swore as I raced to the floo gate or chimney, whatever. It was really hard to run in heels especially when gravity was madly in love with you. I flooed right into Malfoy Empire and raced towards Narcissa's office where I'm absolutely sure she would have been frowning or even pacing. She liked to be anywhere right on the clock.

I ran past Audrina on the way, earning a sneer from her, "Where is the fire, Weasley?"

I yelled as loudly as I could, earning disapproving looks from the rest of the staff but not at all giving a damn, "Sadly, not at your house."

My hair resembled a birds nest by the time I reached Narcissa's office, I was also panting heavily like a dog. And guess what? She wasn't there.

After a few knocks and no given permission to enter the chic cabin, I pulled the door open and peered inside. And to think that I was late, I felt so irritated with myself, I wanted to laugh at my situation.

Maybe she had gone somewhere else to do something, but I knew the answer, she wasn't here yet. The show had started a while ago and we were nowhere near close on reaching. I wondered then, if that was my cue to panic.

Haven't wizards ever heard of cell phones? At moments like these, they are quite the convenience.

Actually, Malfoy had a cell phone, my dream phone, a Blackberry which he gave me to organize. I'm quite sure he had a personal one but never had any sightings of it, so I could be wrong.

Narcissa made a grand entrance while I was standing in front of her gigantic, antique mirror fixing my hair. She gave me a real fright when she just apparated right into her own office causing me to greet the Italian marble tiles, painfully.

"How? What? How did you do that?" I stammered at her, stunned that she could apparate. Didn't Malfoy Empire have wards to protect apparition?

"I lifted the wards in my office so that I could apparate. Now that I'm here, the wards are back on." She smiled at me in greeting as she examined my dressing.

I wasn't a very glamorous sight on the floor with my legs spread out. I winced as I tried to get up, my ankle was aching. There was definitely going to be bruises present when I checked, later.

"Are you alright, Ginevra?" She asked me, not missing my grimace.

I nodded my head and asked her if she was feeling better today. She did look a whole lot better as though, yesterday after her break down, she went for a spa retreat, massage, facial and manicure. Now that was truly the life, it had been a while since I had last gone for one and I was still living in its moments. I'd be blessed if I actually received a foot massage in this lifetime considering my schedule.

Narcissa looked classic today with her white and gold dress robes, making her look like a goddess. Her platinum blonde hair was done in curls and she wore crimson lipstick that struck out on her pale yet healthy complexion. She glowed like the moon, if I didn't know any better; I'd say that she looked like the older version of the late muggle actress Marilyn Monroe.

She pulled off classically sexy so beautifully, it was epic. _Did that line even make sense?_ Whatever, she just looked beautiful.

"You look wonderful, dear." She raised a perfectly arched blonde eyebrow as though she never expected me to pull of something this outrageous. I didn't know whether to feel insulted or triumphant.

"Aren't we late?" I asked her looking at my maroon watch.

"There is something called being fashionably late, Ginevra." She laughed, reminding me of all the reasons why I was not cut out to be her secretary again.

-"I am the guest-of-honour afterall."

"We're not flooing right?" I stared at her dress, trying to imagine soot on it but failing miserably. It was far too fantastically designed to be destroyed.

"Marvin has personally arranged for a Portkey." We walked along the corridors. I kept touching my hair nervously to make sure it was fine.

If I had known that my hair would lose its style easily, I would have resorted to the aid of hairspray.

_Great, Portkey? _Thank Merlin, if we had to apparate, I don't know what I would have done.

My fear of apparating is starting to get a little bit ridiculous.

Narcissa picked up something that looked like a Quaffle near the floo gate where I usually went home from. I hadn't noticed it earlier.

She urged me to put my hand on it and soon I felt that little tingly pull at my stomach, as though gravity was fighting for its rights on me to remain on the ground. A moment later, I did not recognize where we were at all.

The room was literally white, as though we were in Oblivion or something but however, Oblivion did not have furniture did it? Everything was white, from the curtain to the sofa oh heck, even the stationary was white. I did not even want to think about the stationery.

Narcissa seemed at ease, the polar opposite reaction of my personal one. Truly, we were not compatible at all, I don't know if she saw it but I sure as hell did.

"This is it?" I asked her, puzzled.

"I expect Marvin himself to be bursting in here any moment." She answered me, relieving my doubts.

My hyperactive and overly paranoid mind was under the impression that we would probably have to apparate somewhere else. She was about to sit down when the door burst right open and there stood Marvin Choque, himself.

"Narcissa, oh mon dieu, ma chérie tu es superbe!"

TRANSLATION: Narcissa, oh my goodness, darling, you look beautiful!

"Merci" She replied, as he kissed her dainty hands. _He was gay, right?_

TRANSLATION: Thank you.

"Qui est cette jolie fille?" He asked her taking a good look at me.

TRANSLATION: Who is this pretty girl?

I pulled at my cloak self-consciously wishing that they would get on with the damned fashion show.

"Elle est Ginevra Weasley, mon assistant."

TRANSLATION: She is Ginevra Weasley, my assistant.

Okay, she officially lost me after this Marvin Choque dude checked me out. The last I understood was him telling her, 'Narcissa, oh my goodness! Darling, you look beautiful!' Somewhere along those lines and her thanking him graciously. I admired the way she carried herself.

"Vraiment? J'ai pensé que Draco a décidé de s'installer. Elle est tout simplement superbe!"

TRANSLATION: Really? I thought Draco decided to settle down. She is simply stunning!

_Pure French? _If Fleur was here, I'd have direct translation.I can't speak French to save my life, my pronunciation was atrocious. I groaned inwardly to myself, having not understood a word they said.

Narcissa nodded her head in agreement to what he said, she also turning to look at me. I watched them both, uncomfortably wondering why the heck they were staring at me.

Trying to look inconspicuous, I scanned my outfit and peered at my reflection on the window pane, nothing wrong with it. I frowned; they were so weird, really. Maybe, I should say hi or something.

"Hi, Mr Choque. It's an honor to meet you." I smiled, genuinely feeling honored, Fleur would be so jealous if she knew I was here today while she couldn't be.

He kissed the top of my hand, charmingly, making me blush because his breath tickled my sensitive skin.

"Miss Weasley, you look simply stunning." His French accent alongside his smooth voice was really sexy.

_Really?_ I was flattered but didn't say much. He laughed as my face reddened even more thanks to his compliment.

He was pretty good looking himself too, at like forty five; he looked like that male actor, Owen Wilson. It was so hard to imagine Owen Wilson being gay, despite the fact that his doppelganger, Marvin Choque hooked up with girls from time to time. (Sources from page 3 of Witch's weekly)

We walked out to the main hall where the event was held, Narcissa and Marvin Choque could be heard discussing something in French, I couldn't really be bothered to listen. Not that I was able to anyway, as we got closer, there was music blaring really loudly. Various wizard celebrities such as Quidditch players could be seen walking into the entrance. I thought I saw Oliver Wood and Katie Bell being interviewed by a bunch of reporters.

It was a really grand affair. Marvin Choque was like the Louis Vuitton of the wizarding world. There were press reporters everywhere

Marvin led Narcissa to a corner and instructed something to someone. All of a sudden, I heard someone announcing her name and she walked right in, gracefully like a dancer. She waved her hand demurely as the crowd clapped for her, she was a fashion icon, I realized. People admired her as much as they admired Malfoy's good looks.

And speaking of Malfoy, had I really gone this long without thinking about how much I missed him? I can hardly remember thinking of him at all. And now, when it just occurred to me, I had that pang of emptiness again. I was lost in my thoughts when I felt someone shoved me roughly to follow Narcissa's footsteps just like her shadow.

That was going to be so rough on my poor ankle. I regained my balance; turning to glare at the person who had the audacity to push me however was blinded by flashing lights of the camera before I could even turn.

Thankfully, they were focused on Narcissa and not on me though they hardly should be. From the corner of my eye, I saw really familiar looking red hair and my heart sank as I recognized the person who was communicating with the reporter.

_Holy crap! _I really needed to start washing my mouth with soap; that was my brother, Bill Weasley and his very pregnant wife, Fleur Delacour Weasley!

I gasped, my eyes widened and my hands covered my mouth. They looked like the beautiful, powerful couple that they were. Fleur looked flawless in a peach dress robes, her pregnant stomach looked as though she had placed a football underneath. Bill on the other hand wore a black dress robe that remotely resembled a tux.

Fleur wasn't looking very pleased, but then again, she could scowl and still look like the supermodels from Wizard Vogue, a pregnant one at that. In fact, she looked tired and maybe a little cranky even though she smiled for the paparazzi. Having lived with her and her tantrums for so long, I could tell her mood like I could say my alphabets. It was that easy.

Perhaps Bill gave her a scolding on the way over or something, I concluded. It was not like my brother to give it, once he was set on something, he was adamant about it. Changing his mind was like touching the sky, impossible.

At least they weren't looking in my direction; there were no pots nearby for me to hide. _Damn it, Ginny! You just had to complete that sentence!_

I ducked as I saw them turning, making it look as though I was tying my shoelace, except, I didn't have lace and neither did I have shoes. I earned a strange look from a snooty, familiar looking woman whom I totally couldn't place where I had seen from. She saw me air-tying laces as I tried to buy time to figure out a way to hide myself.

_My cloak! Eureka! Bingo! Hallelujah! _I mentally promised myself to make heaps of chocolate truffles for Tonks, it had never occurred to me, how handy a cloak with a hood could be in situations like these.

I pulled it over my head and stood up. _My hair was totally gone right now._

I caught up with Narcissa and stood beside her feeling like the Grim Reaper as the press took pictures. After that, I held my hand up and made way for her to walk like the good assistant that I was. For some reason, there was no protest from the press; they were silent even though they were still clicking pictures.

Narcissa looked a little tensed. It hadn't occurred to me that this was her first event after those Malfoy scandals. The club one, I squeezed her arm reassuringly as we walked through the crowd. An usher directed us to our seats on the very best table. It was equipped with a bubbly in a bucket full of ice and crystal goblets that I always had a fascination for.

I guided her to her seat; she awarded me with a questioning look when she realized that my hood was up. She was not the only one; of course, it did not help the fact that I looked like a death eater under all the dimmed lights. I got a lot of wary stares.

_Oh chill alright, people; I'm not going to pull an Avada! Aren't hoods like in fashion now?_

"Mrs Malfoy, Narcissa! What a pleasant surprise!" A haughty, female voice interrupted me from whatever thoughts I had just been having.

Narcissa and I both looked up at the same time only to see that woman who had given me a weird look earlier. She looked distinctively familiar.

"Oh Mrs Greengrass!" Narcissa exclaimed and stood up probably so that they could shower each other with air kisses and false greetings.

I smacked my head with my palm when I was sure that they were not paying attention to me._ Of all the people!_

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh at my miserable situation. I couldn't cry the temptation to laugh was so strong; I had to stifle a giggle.

"I didn't know you were invited." Narcissa told Mrs Greengrass who sniffed at this harmless comment.

"Oh well, I'm here with Daphne, she is a huge fan you know. You look wonderful, Narcissa. You are glowing!" She replied, exuberantly, clearly not meaning every word she said.

I didn't have to be equipped in Leglimens to be able to translate the actual meaning of those words in her fickle mind. I rolled my eyes to myself wishing that the champagne was actually my favorite Cherry martini. At times like this, I seriously wish that I could pull a voldy and avada myself.

It was going to be a long night, thank Merlin that the bar was nearby.

"Draco is not back yet?" Mrs Greengrass questioned casually but I could see the plain motive in her evil eyes.

I felt a burst of irritation, this would probably be the millionth time that Narcissa would inform her that he was only due to return next week, after Christmas.

"He returns next week." Narcissa said briefly, I could sense a little agitation in her. Perhaps she was just antsy, or like me, annoyed but trying to keep her cool. I wouldn't blame her, if Mrs Greengrass could make someone like her who is as cool as a cucumber, there had to be something wrong with her common sense or something.

"What a pity. I was hoping that he could accompany my Astoria to the dance at ….."

"Next week." Narcissa interjected before turning her focus somewhere else. I tried not to laugh at the outrage on Mrs Greengrass's face as Narcissa tuned her out uninterestedly.

"Would you like a glass of water, Narcissa?" I asked her in a choked tone as I tried to shake the humour out of the situation.

She gave me a wry smile and nodded her head. I handed a goblet to her and she took a sip.

Bless us all, the fashion show finally started, I was awestruck at the intricate designs on the dressrobes, they looked practically fragile. Marvin watched the statuesque models pose on the ramp as there flashes of photographs being taken, of us included.

Thankfully, I wasn't sitting down, not because they lacked in terms of hospitality or anything but I just wanted to keep an eye on Bill and Fleur, who by the way, were having the time of their lives. Fleur would squeal every there was a new dress, clap excitedly and shriek a few words in French while Bill would stare at her incredulously, probably wondering if there was ever a day when males would understand the female obsession with accessories.

If I had galleons, I'd seriously invest all my money on Marvin Choque clothing, he really knew how to design. Oh well, with my next salary, I'll buy myself a new dress robe or something from him. Finally the first part of the fashion show was over, the fashion spectators applauded wildly, like me, seduced by his designs.

_Let the socializing begin! _Narcissa was brought around by Marvin as he introduced her to guests whom he thought would be influential for her networking list. She had this charm in her; I realized as she spoke to the others, she could make anyone feel good. _Charisma; charismatic, yeah that was the perfect word to describe her with._

She moved around networking, left, right and centre. I hung back awkwardly earning strange looks from her new social contacts as my hood was still up. A few of them even asked about me, to which she replied thankfully in the most ordinary, airy manner.

"Oh, this is just my secretary, Ginevra."

At least, they didn't recognize me by Ginevra. Like I said, she was the only one who called me that. Everyone else knew me as Ginny.

She said that to OIiver Wood and Katie Bell too when they tried to peer at me out of curiosity, I had never known Oliver Wood because I only joined the Quidditch team after he graduated and I wasn't really familiar with Katie but I was pretty sure that they'd recognize the fiery mane of infamous, indistinguishable red hair.

I realized though, along the way, that Oliver and Katie were not the only people I knew whom were present. My ex-boyfriend, Dean Thomas was present and whoa, he hooked up with Romilda Vane. That boy crazy girl; honestly, she was so crazy, she made a Love Potion for Harry.

And because of that, until today, I'm exceptionally proud to say in my Harry Potter hardcore fan days, I never once thought of brewing him a Love Potion and neither did the thought ever cross my mind. _HAH! So there!_

A few others whom I recognized as ex-students from Durmstang and Beauxebatons, I didn't know them well enough to be able to tell recall their names, but I recognized a few as Fleur and her younger sister, Gabrielle's friends who had attended their wedding.

Of course, Fleur Delacour Weasley had obviously gotten to them; she was the whole reason for the recognition. Narcissa turned to mention something to me in the midst of her contact building process and when she realized that I wasn't paying attention, her gaze followed mine and landed on Fleur's.

"Isn't she your sister-in-law?" Narcissa commented, startling out of my stealth spying. _Apparently, I sucked at that._

"Unfortunately." I muttered to myself, and nodded my head; I think Narcissa caught on to the fact that I wasn't a huge fan of Fleur Delacour Weasley however even if she did; she did not make it clear.

"Let's go and meet her, that way, you can talk to her too." Narcissa said kindly, I think she felt as though I was feeling bored and lonely. At least it answered one question, though. She did not hear me.

If we met Fleur, I'd be totally screwed; she'd demand an explanation as to why I was here. On the other hand, I couldn't leave Narcissa because she'd want an explanation too. So I just followed her lead as she headed right towards Fleur, my mind blasting me with millions of escape plans. Half of those were not fool-proofed.

As we came nearer, Narcissa called out to Fleur and on an impulse, I ducked doing the whole, 'I-am-tying-my-shoelace' thing again but without proper shoes that had laces. I earned a few weird looks as well.

"That's funny, I could've sworn, Ginevra was right behind me and suddenly she is not." Narcissa looked around, searching for me. I remained on the ground, the crowd hid me well and so did the dimmed lights.

"Hu izz Ginevra, Mrz Maalfoy?" Fleur asked her politely in her thick French accent.

Fleur thankfully had always recognized me as Ginny and we had not, thankfully, bonded over time, for her to know simple things about me, like my real name for example.

Narcissa looked at her in amazement and at that moment, my brother Bill decided to join the conversation. He shook hands with Narcissa and they chatted a little about the wizard stock market and some financial situation thing which was really just small and unimportant talk.

_Trust me to be saved by my own brother. The irony._ And bloody hell, the moment I finished that sentence in my thoughts, Bill had to ask them about their conversation, Ginevra's identity in front of Fleur was cleared really quickly and she wrinkled her face in distaste the moment she heard my name showing that she was not really a huge fan of me either.

Bill, on the other hand, straightened and his eyes narrowed with suspicion upon hearing my name.

_That's it; I officially had to flee from here._

I made up my mind and went or rather crawled in a more literal sense away from the scene. Looks like fate was not on my side today, the exits were closed for security reasons. No one could leave the event until the show was over. Marvin really liked to show-off.

Did I mention that while planning an escape that would make Houdini proud, I twisted my ankle a couple of times lightly, it was throbbing badly. That was not the worst part; it was that Fleur's Marvin Choques were on the verge of being damaged. I'd take them to the cobblers tomorrow, first thing in the morning, I promised to myself.

Finally, managing to get in a direction, I was sure they wouldn't look; I leaned against a wall with my eyes closed, trying to catch my breath, feeling the rush of adrenaline swim through me. One thing was for sure, if I wasn't careful, I would become an adrenaline junkie one of these days and that involved being reckless.

I peered from the corner into the crowd, trying to find them just to ensure my personal safety and _curse my luck_ they were nowhere to be found. _Oh, damn!_

Looks like I was going to have to crawl again, I sighed and walked down the small stairs to the floor. It was too dark for me to notice what I was walking on and being the clumsy git that I was, I tripped and fell, officially spraining my ankle and ruining Fleur's Marvin Choques in the process.

There was a huge commotion about it, I suppose, it wasn't everyday when someone fell down in a fashion show. I was right in the middle of display, trying not to shed tears of pain while people fussed over me. My hood had fallen off and frankly, that was the least of my concerns at the moment.

I was told to relax and close my eyes as someone wrapped ice around my swelling foot. It was hard to do that but I managed.

Of course, I couldn't relax for long, someone had gone to inform Narcissa, whoever who had recognized me as the hooded freak with her.

"Ginevra, are you alright?" The crowd parted for her to walk through, seriously, how much of power did this woman have?

I looked up at her and to my horror, Fleur was right behind.

"Ginny?" She waddled over only to stop near my feet and shriek in the process.

Not to mention that there was a huge puddle near my feet which was definitely not from the ice wrapped around my feet.

I was so screwed, big time.

* * *

**I promised Draco would be back in this chapter, but I changed my mind, wanting to give y'all some insight on Draco and the Weasleys. No worries, he SHOULD be back in Chapter 7. Keep the reviews coming, thanks. ;p**

**Draco [suspicious]: Why are you wearing glasses?**

**Goyle aka Harry [deer caught in headlights look]: I was reading.**

**Draco [raised eyebrows]: I didn't know you could read. **

**-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets**

**LOL. I loved this scene, it's adorable.**

**Got this off Twitter,**

**Knock! Knock!**

**Who's there?**

**You know….**

**You know who? **

**YES! Avada Kedavra! *green light* *silence***

**Alright, we're done here.**


	7. Chapter 7 Surprise

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 7. Surprise**

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You know that you're in heaps of trouble when your sister-in-law had her labor induced by a broken-beyond repair pair of Marvin Choque's stilettos. Actually, heaps didn't cover it; mountainous, nah…

_Immense, enormous, gigantic, jumbo-sized, tremendous, massive, big, stupendous, humongous; did I mention huge already? _

Well, you get the point! I suppose, anyone in my place would be in trouble, I really didn't know what explanation would calm the raging storm in Bill's head as we sat here in St Mungo's General Obstetrics & Gynecology Ward. He was inside the room –_whatever they called it_- right at Fleur's side while she screamed and swore in French.

You'd think St Mungo's would be a little more sensitive to the people in the waiting area by casting a Silencing Charm on the door, but no, all that screeching like a banshee is making my dad turn a little green.

I didn't blame him, I felt faintly nauseated myself. Of course, we can't ignore what brought this on.

The last I remember before being escorted here by grim looking medical personnel is Fleur shrieking. Well, we all know the reason now; her water bag broke, or popped,_ whatever_. It's no question why, though, isn't it obvious, she saw her broken beloved shoes, yeah, that induced labor and I'm getting the blame for it.

My family is eccentric.

So anyway, Fleur was shrieking, heaved over in pain. And some prat decides to announce to the entire world that she is having contractions, thus attracting the unwanted and clearly un-needed attention from the press.

Not to mention my brother, Bill, after all, Fleur was the only heavily pregnant witch there. _I like how that sounds, it's as though she's got twins in there or something. _Back to my story - _it's hard to concentrate when you've been staring at blank, mint-colored walls for the entire evening._

The press is there snapping pictures in glee of both Fleur and I. I simply can't decide who is going to look more unglamorous in the Daily Prophet and Witch's Weekly, her or me. On the bright side, though, even though I was in much pain, my legs weren't sprawled out like before and I might actually not end up looking like those whores in Knockturn Alley. Sadly, though, my hair was nothing short of resembling Medusa's but we can't always get what we want right?

I'm thinking miserably to myself; _honestly, could the day get any worse. _And guess what, I get my answer; Bill appears looking pale and worried.

"Fleur, baby, are you alright?" He squeezes her hand tightly as she turns, trying to distract her pain.

"Mon Marvin Choques, Bill…. Ginny!" She groaned in pain, a sheen of sweat covered her pretty face.

_Of all the things to say, woman! _You see what I mean? She is having a child and all she cares about are her shoes. Merlin, what kind of people am I related to?

Finally, Bill noticed my presence, I was in no better shape though I could tell that my sprain in comparison to the contractions that she was having was a hundred times less painful and could be healed within minutes. We just needed to find someone professional enough.

His face tightened, "We are going to talk about this, Ginny. I am not done with you, yet."

I gulped upon hearing that, thankfully, help arrived before he could say anything else and so finally, here I am, dying of complete boredom in the hospital.

My parents arrived a while later and so did the rest of my family, though they were not together. Fred, George, Alicia and Angelina had arrived from Diagon Alley with tons of gifts in waiting. I guess they were tired of hearing Fleur complain about her backache and swollen feet.

Mikayla and Charlie arrived from the zoo and Percy and Penelope arrived from the Ministry. Mum, Dad, Ron, Hermione and Harry were the only ones who came from the Burrow. This information doesn't really matter, does it?

Thankfully, my outfit was decent with the leggings, I could see from Ron's face that he wanted to comment about it but Hermione shushed him due to the seriousness of the situation.

My ankle was fine now; it just took a healing charm and some herbal salve which I massaged right in. I just didn't have proper shoes to wear, of course, Mum was a dear and she brought me my beloved Converse High Cuts which I now wore, still in my ….. attire. I didn't quite know what to call it. I looked like a grunge fashion follower, which was kind of unintentionally hip.

Everyone was tensed, the Healers informed us that Fleur was not doing very well; she was apparently too tensed to push the baby and if it continued for a while longer, she might actually be in danger. According to the others, I could not see the complexity of the situation; I could not understand why everyone was worrying.

Hermione was extremely pissed off at my nonchalant attitude. Call me insensitive, but I knew Fleur was going to live, she couldn't die after seeing the state of her shoes. Honestly, if she studied in Hogwarts, she would have been in Slytherin; she'd ensure that she make me repent for the rest of my life. I've lived with her enough to know that.

Once, mum brewed cappuccino for Fleur and she had forgotten that Her Royal Highness could not stand cinnamon, Fleur had thrown a real fit upon taking a sip, she claimed that no one loved her and everyone in the house was conspiring against her.

My friends, Parvati and Padma Patil often complained about mother and daughter-in-law feuds on drama serials in India and how annoying it was, _if only they could see our house_. They'd be shell-shocked.

I endured a long lecture from Hermione about involving some really bombastic biological terms that were too complex for my meager mind to comprehend, until I gave up.

I explained to my parents that I had to go back to work and explain my sudden absence, I was pretty sure that I owed Narcissa alone, quite a pile of explanations.

Finally arriving there from the floo gate of Malfoy Empire, I coughed from the smoke and the ash, recognizing the symptoms of a network breakdown. Someone needed to inform the maintenance people before we could all not floo home.

I had a brief feeling of déjà vu as I sprinted across this very corridor, the same as I had done this morning. I knocked tentatively on Narcissa's cabin door praying inwardly that Merlin would be kind enough to bomb me with more déjà vu's and make her absent for at least a couple of minutes, until I got a proper story.

In my rush, I had totally forgotten to think up of perfectly reasonable excuses. _Damn! _Not to mention, practice! I was such a terrible liar and probably, actress, I needed to rehearse the scene and get my lines straight before the actual performance.

Sadly, however, I had no such luck. Her soprano voice tinkled and accepted my presence the very second I had finished knocking her door. I suspected, though that she already had an inkling of who would be standing right outside her door. Malfoy Empire had a fantastic security system, couldn't say the same thing about the guards though.

I thought briefly about Gregory Goyle and his pudgy appearance cleared all nervousness that I had in my head dousing it with fire and confidence. A tiny part of me, though, a very tiny part of me couldn't help but wonder vaguely if I was going to get fired after the stunt I pulled today, technically it wasn't actually my fault.

Maybe I could say that I had the worst eyesight and was as blind as a bat in the dark hence I lost track of them; it did kind of make sense. Unless if she made me do a medical examination, how hard would it be to fake night blindness?

"Aaah, Ginevra, I was expecting you." Narcissa said in a very neutral tone, making me jump.

I wasn't aware that I had already entered her room. _Darn it, Ginny!_

"How is your ankle, now?" She gestured for me to sit and I obeyed.

"Much better….." I paused, thinking of how I should address her. I usually felt the need to address her respectfully as 'Mam' when I was uncertain of the conditions of the environment around me. Of course it was another story when all was well.

"Wonderful." I stared at her wondering if she was being sarcastic or she meant it. There was no hint of emotion on her face.

She looked like a true, commanding Malfoy. I could never be as powerful as her.

I kept quiet, not knowing how to respond. It was pin drop silence for a couple of minutes before she finally sighed breaking the tensed atmosphere.

"I do believe that you owe me an explanation, Ginevra. After that stunt you pulled today, we're probably in for negative publicity." She frowned, probably imagining the malign awaiting her in the Daily Prophet and Witch's Weekly.

It was important that a wizard's reputation remained unblemished in these important media sources as once tarnished, it was never forgotten. That's why it was hard for people to forget that the remaining Malfoy's were once supporter's of the Dark Lord who never saw the light, _all pun intended_.

I took a deep breath before saying anything.

"With all due respect, mam, I highly doubt that Malfoy Empire's reputation is going to be associated with an ungraceful witch's fall. If you may have remembered, I had my face hidden in all the pictures thanks to my hood." I finished cautiously aware of the fact that I was treading on thin lines.

It seemed for a few seconds that she had accepted what I had to say before she continued.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that also." She raised her perfect, blonde eyebrows at me.

_Oh damn it, what the hell was I going to tell her?_

-"Your behavior, Ginevra. Now, I do not understand what is going on between you and your family, but I do not appreciate seeing both mixed together. That is purely unprofessional etiquette."

_You are not alone, woman. You are not alone. And while you're at it, can someone hand me a dictionary?_

I wasn't sure if Narcissa was highly accomplished in Leglimens or not but all I knew was that if she was, my game was completely over. She'd fire me for just being a smartass mentally, I couldn't help it. It was a part of my attitude and will always be.

"I'm sorry, mam." I replied, meekly, rolling my mental eyes.

-"It's just that, Bill doesn't really understand why I'm working….." I nearly added, _for you_, but stopped when I remembered that I could get fired.

I kept my face cool and composed. _Think Malfoy, Ginny. There, you're doing it, you go, girl!_

Continuing, "I didn't want him to know that I was there on work purposes… He wouldn't have been very happy with me, and….."

_Could you get any lame, Ginny?_

"I don't like seeing my brothers, unhappy." I declared, smacking myself inwardly.

Really, that little speech of mine was so lame, if I had a gun, I'd shoot myself right now.

Of course, avada-ing myself would be a little to the extremes, and besides, using a gun sounds climatic and dramatic. Exactly what I am going for, _Ginny, your brain has officially melted, you ain't got no clue what the hell you are prattling about!_

"I completely understand, Ginevra, however, bear in mind that you lead two different lives…."

_If only she had any idea how true those words were._

-"It would be completely irresponsible if both lives were to clash. I hope you understand my implications." _Just hand me a damn dictionary already! _She said firmly, sounding like Professor McGonagall on the occasion when I was so bored, I released dung bombs in the dungeons.

I nodded my head vigorously like Hermione did when she was paying rapt attention.

"Now, I understand that you have more pressing issues to attend to at St Mungo's. You are excused; do wish Fleur well on my behalf."

"Yes, mam. Thank you." I nodded my head, ready as hell to race out of here.

_Ginny, you're safe!_ My mind was literally doing the conga dance. I walked towards the door, trying not to look as though I was in a hurry to leave.

"One more thing, Ginevra." Narcissa stopped me just as I was about to twist the knob and exit.

"You might like to get your story clear the next time round." She smiled wryly and then dismissed me by grabbing an eagle quill and parchment.

I was absolutely stunned to my ground. She might as well have used a Stunning spell on me.

One word, _fuck_!

_Never ever audition for roles, Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley, you will end up feeling mortified._

I didn't know how I was going to look at her in the eye after this incident.

_Draco bloody Malfoy, get your hot ass back here already!_

I'd say 'Could this day get any worse?' and be rewarded with that prickly déjà vu feeling again but with my luck; I'd probably end up jinxing my day even more.

Back at the hospital, things were not all that fantastic but it was definitely better than before. I came back, silent, not wanting to say anything. Hermione was still glaring at me for leaving her in the middle of one of her perfectly researched and sensible lectures. I ignored her, knowing the consequences I'd be dishing out later, Mom.

Ages later, Bill came out of the room looking extremely exhausted yet elated. His tux was in a downright mess and he looked unkempt, like a hobo if I had ever seen one.

He held a pink bundle in his hand.

Victoire Amanda Weasley was born. _Awesome!_

Everyone moved forward to coo and cuddle the littlest Weasley. Looks like someone else had taken my throne of being the _baby_ of the house. Of course, everyone except me, I was way wary of Bill and I knew that my going near might even cause him to get a restraining order on me.

I'm kind of overly dramatic and immature, I make it sound as though my family tortured me and stuff like that but it wasn't true, everyone loved me with all their heart and I returned the exact same feelings only a dozen times more. The only difference was that they didn't have my best interests at heart and that was saddening.

I know I owed Bill an explanation, but how was I supposed to explain something he probably wouldn't even understand or better, refuse to understand?

"She is adorable, oh my, her cheeks are so soft." Hermione said in an awed voice as she held Baby Victoire. Ron stood right behind her wearing a strange look on his face as he watched her holding the newest member to our clan. Harry was trying hard not to smile.

He caught my eye and mouthed something that looked like, "I think Ron is ready for parenting."

I smiled back in response, trying to imagine Ron as a father but failing miserably.

Mum was in tears, as she held the little apple of her eye and Dad just stood there looking like the proudest father alive.

Charlie and Mikayla were rather concerned about Fleur's health but settled down when Bill, gladly assured them that she was in the pink of health.

Percy and Penelope were rather awestruck by the tiny bundle, call me mean but I guess, people holding books were not used to tiny little things like babies, the light of our lives, miracles. Harry, on the other hand was too afraid to hold her.

Fred and George were so amazed; Alicia and Angelina had to keep them from making much noise.

"Gosh, dear brother, you did…."

"A fantastic job…."

"Truly, little Victoire is simply amazing."

"Can we keep her?" _He made her sound like a newborn puppy or something._

"Fred, George, she is only a little baby." Alicia scolded them lightly, knowing that they were trying to push Bill's buttons as usual.

Bill noticed my absence in the family gathering, he requested for Alicia, who was currently holding little Victoire to hand her back to him. Holding the little bundle close to his heart, he walked over to where I stood like an outcast in the corner.

"Aren't you going to meet your niece, Ginny?" He asked me quietly. His gaze met mine, I felt downheartedly bad as I peered at the mere baby in his arms. He insisted that I hold her but I refused afraid of my own capabilities. I didn't want to drop her.

"I understand how Harry feels, but Ginny, being a mother is natural in females. You won't hurt her, I trust you." And he gazed at me solemnly, it didn't help that I was about to lie my guts out to him in a couple of minutes.

He handed the soft bundle to me and … I was stunned when I saw the sleeping baby girl inside. She was simple adorable with tiny hands and feet and a cute button nose, I really didn't know how to describe her, and she was so tiny! _Excuse my poor vocabulary skills._

The feeling of holding her was absolutely surreal, phenomenal almost. I didn't understand how life worked, but whatever it was, it worked like magic.

"Hey, baby…." I whispered softly as I gave her soft, pink cheeks a little peck. –"She is so beautiful." I looked up at Bill with tear filled eyes.

I handed her back to him as the rest came towards us, I was pretty sure that this was it, my personal moment of truth.

Bill looked at me questioningly as he handed little Victoire to Mum who was busy cooing once again.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked me, once again. I could sense the seriousness in his tone. _Big time, Ginny, big time!_

I nodded my head and followed him to another corner of the same corridor.

"What is going on, Ginny?" He sighed almost heavily. I knew he was exhausted and that just added to my guilt.

I shook my head, pretending to be puzzled trying to buy myself more time. It didn't work for Narcissa, Bill was just as sharp. I was going to have to lay my cards well this time before declaring checkmate.

"You've been acting really differently for days now, you're tired, and you've lost weight. You don't even hang out with your friends anymore. Suddenly, I see you at the fashion show and it seems as though you're completely avoiding me and Fleur. I mean, is there a problem? You know you can trust me with anything right?"

I suppose, probably he was right. I no longer had a proper social life but it wasn't actually my fault since most of my friends were overseas. I just took advantage of the situation to curl up with good books during the weekend and also spent time trying to recover some lost sleep thanks to the whole 'crack of dawn' policy.

As for the eating part, he couldn't actually blame me, I wasn't all that hungry. It's alright; I needed to lose a couple of pounds anyway.

"I'm alright, Bill." I assured him. Try not to tell lies, this was technically the truth. –"Just been really busy, yeah I'm sort of stressed but it's not too much, it is part and parcel of life. And I wasn't running away from you and Fleur. Just please, believe me." I pleaded.

_Technically, I wasn't running away, I was hiding so it's not really considered a lie right?_

I didn't know whether he took my word for it, my siblings tended to doubt my abilities very strongly and I wasn't very keen on proving myself to them either.

"Alright…." He sighed, once again and stifled a yawn.

"How is Fleur?" I asked him, wanting to divert the conversation on to another path.

He sat up immediately, looking more awake the moment I mentioned her name.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about Fleur." He said sternly as he pulled at the bow tie of his tux-robe.

My heart sank in grim anticipation; somehow I knew what he was going to say.

"I know, Fleur is a little hard for you to get along with, but, at the end of the day, Ginny, she is family. She cares about you, and I want you to feel the same."

_Sorry bro, 'a little hard' was an understatement. _

"I will." I promised, not really wanting to defend myself on the issue.

We were interrupted by little Victoire's wails. Bill hurried to attend to her.

_Saved by the little victory bell, all pun intended._

_Boy, was that close._

The next few days passed really quickly, much to my surprise, before I knew it, it was already the eve of Christmas and everyone was leaving for Bulgaria. _Yes, everyone except me._

I felt a combination of envy and sadness as I watched everyone scurry all over the Burrow to retrieve their necessities. It was strange how we did not live together yet in the end; we all came back to one place.

The Healers back in St Mungo's had given Fleur an all clear except for, you know, the sex part. _Gross, why am I even thinking about that? _So she was able to travel too.

The time came for them to leave, I stood at the door feeling miserable but clearly trying to hide it. It was my first Christmas without my family members.

"I don't feel too good about leaving you here, Ginny dear." My mum told me as she moved in for a tight hug.

"I'll be fine, Mum." I reassured her for the thousandth – _Oh screw that, _millionth time.

I needed to gain control of my sailor mouth, I frowned to myself. I needed to stop swearing for the millionth – _Oh …._ Never mind. I bit my tongue, not wanting to pollute my mind with potty words anymore and winced as I bit it too hard. Tears welled in my eyes, but they were tears of pain, not sadness.

I was old enough to know how to control my fluctuating taps, apparently they didn't think so.

"Oh Ginny…." Hermione threw her arms around me, making me jump from the completely unexpected gesture.

-"Don't cry, we'll bring you tons of souvenirs."

"Which won't be books." I made her promise. Not everyone wanted books on the Top 10 hot spots in Bulgaria. At least she'd given up on spell books and stuff.

"You'll get…" Fred began.

"The fanciest stuff…" George continued.

"In the whole of Bulgaria." Fred completed.

"Of course, there is a disclaimer on fancy." They both said at the same time, causing their wives to chastise them.

"We are after all…." George started, grinning madly.

"Looking for potential hazards for the wizarding community." Fred finished mischievously.

At twenty-six and married, anyone would think that these brothers of mine would have grown up and grown out of the whole anything-to-play-a-nasty-yet-fantastic-joke obsession that they had. However, they had grown up with it, and apparently it had gotten stuck along the way.

Honestly, I could never forget the time when I was ten; they promised that they would send me a Hogwarts toilet seat when I wanted to go with them to school.

Both of them were grinning so widely in excitement and anticipation, it rubbed off on me. I smiled at them.

"Oh come here, you two. Give me a hug before you leave." I gestured.

"You know where to reach us, right baby girl?" Dad asked me, concern surrounding in his brown eyes.

"Yes, dad."

As much as I loved having a large family, they sure couldn't take a hint. I didn't blame Dad though, I knew from watching Muggle movies that in his eyes, I'd always be his little girl, or his little princess and nothing could change that.

"We'll take tons of pictures. I'll even get you a signed one with Viktor Krum on it." Harry joked, his green eyes sparkling as Ron moved to punch him on his arm. Viktor was kind of a sensitive topic for Ron because he believed that apparently he hadn't gotten over Hermione and was overbearingly protective and jealous whenever he was around.

Of course, Hermione enjoyed every minute of the attention being the sensible witch that she was.

"Who wants Viktor? I want, Sid." I winked at him thinking of the cute seeker in Krev United.

"Sid it is." Harry laughed once again.

"At least she is showing interest in someone now." Mum joined in the conversation, making me groan.

"Oh c'mon Mum, don't get started on this, I love you and I will miss you all. Now, bye." I urged her to the door where the portkey they were taking was waiting.

Just then, three of my older brothers and their wives entered the room evidently interested in the little commotion that Mum had started.

"She is right, Gin, you do need to date and stuff." Penelope told me smiling, serenely. My brothers all looked like they had a lot to say on this matter but thankfully, it was time to leave.

"No funny business, Ginny. I'm warning you." Bill told me seriously as he was about to leave.

"Scout's honor, Bill" I promised him, smiling sweetly using a Muggle term I had picked up back in my Oxford days.

"You're not a girl scout, Ginny." Hermione gave me a weird look as they all walked towards the door.

"Bill doesn't know that." I winked at her.

I waved a last goodbye as they disappeared with the Portkey. I knew that they were going to have a good time alright. Maybe it was time that I took advantage of the solitude but I didn't understand how.

I didn't even realize how fast the next couple of days went by but of course, when I did, it reminded me of my serious lack of a social life. It was Christmas Eve and I was still at work!

Merlin knows how I managed to look into Narcissa's eyes and work with her at the same time. Of course, she was rather cool about the incident, preferring not to mention it. I made sure to keep the gossiping media sources out of her way so far. I didn't know how long I could carry that on before she realized that she had not received her completely subscribed latest edition of Witch's Weekly, BeWitched and all the other magazines whose names I had never even heard of, _the posh ones_.

I saw the photo's myself; pictures of me sprawled on the floor were extremely unflattering. I could only imagine the Howler I would receive as a Christmas present for looking like a scarlet woman. The stash of fashion and gossip magazine remained in a rather messy drawer in my cabin. Of course, Malfoy would have my head if he found out that his mother had laid a finger on one of those magazines. Or worse, after he found out what happened.

Actually, to be honest, it wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be, I still remember my best friend, Channy's words. _Any publicity is good publicity._

Well, to her at least. I was fully compensated for the fall; Marvin Choque gave me a new pair of stilettos because he figured that I was upset over my shoes. They were gorgeous really, cobalt blue silk ribbons along with sapphires! And they were six inches, but they were oh so pretty!

I gave them to Fleur as a make-up gift for ruining her favorite pair. I was sure that this would definitely make up for the lost ones as they were nowhere near as striking. At least that was solved and so were the remaining gifts for my family members, except for my best friend. I owed her something that I had to compose tonight.

Narcissa pretended it never happened but I could tell that she was dying to get her hands on one of those magazines. Any day now, she might succumb to temptation and walk into a shop just to get her hands on them. It was rather unbecoming and unnerving to see a lady of such high class and standards walk right into a convenience store for such a trivial purchase.

Of course, now it really didn't even matter, she already read the Daily and Evening Prophet and knew what to expect.

"Weasley, are you headed to Mrs Malfoy's office?" Mr Jacobs, Malfoy Empire's efficient Human Resource manager stopped me.

"Yes, Sir." I replied as politely as I could. Mr Jacobs was a senior and he was well-respected around the office. Not to mention, he knew my father.

"Would you please hand the latest staff report to her for me?" He looked rather tensed.

Briefly I wondered why knowing that it wouldn't be soon before long when I knew my answer.

"I have got some other pressing issues to attend to, there are about a dozen people out there awaiting an interview session."

"Sure, Mr Jacobs." I smiled at him as he looked at me gratefully. It was no big deal; I was heading there after all.

I was lost in my thoughts thinking about what I would have done if I had my free time back. A trip to the wizard zoo was definitely in order; I hadn't been there in quite a while. Some alone time with a couple of Hermione's romance novels, spending some time over at the Lupin' especially with Teddy, baking and so many other self-reflect type of things that I was sure Mum would appreciate me doing.

I wasn't really focusing on my surroundings as I walked down the familiar corridors to the Malfoy cabins. That was until I saw Narcissa speaking with two others along the corridor. I stood within a distance, despite that, able to hear their conversation. My heart nearly stopped when I heard an extremely familiar voice.

"Mother, couldn't the conference wait? The Costas told me that they were willing to wait till you recovered. Two weeks of design….! Unbearable." His deep voice was filled with disgust.

_Malfoy?_

_Malfoy._

_Holy mother of…. It was Malfoy!_

I couldn't explain the surge of happiness that rushed through me when Narcissa's tall frame shifted, exposing him more towards the onlookers which was only me. It wasn't one of those I-want-to-throw-my-arms -around -you type of feeling. It was one of those good-to-see-you-again types of feelings.

He had been constantly on my mind ever since the whole Goyle and Audrina scene plus Narcissa's break down. He looked so much better than before. I mean, not that he looked terrible or he underwent a makeover, it's just that, he looked so much better. _Refreshed. Rejuvenated. Alive._

He looked like the Draco Malfoy I used to see in Hogwarts before his sixth year. It was good to see him back and smirking again. I was smiling as I watched him banter with his mother and that person from the third party.

"It's good, Draco. You look well, my son." Narcissa commented as the unknown woman agreed wholeheartedly.

"Thank you, Mother. However, I'd appreciate it next time that you'd at least inform me before sending me on vacation." Malfoy replied sounding rather pompous.

I suppose, he wanted to portray himself like that. He was rather ticked off by Narcissa's ploy. I personally thought that the idea was genius.

She faked her illness, told him that her clients could not cancel the conference and sent him on her behalf. _Genius. _Couldn't someone in my family use Polyjuice potion and take my place for a week or two? I could really use a break.

He was dressed rather simply yet sophisticatedly in a dark grey Armani suit which he looked simply dashing in. His platinum blonde hair shone like the sun rays and his grey eyes sparkled with life whether it was from contempt, it wiped all memories of him being exhausted or just simply dead, away.

I was still smiling. I wasn't that inconspicuous so finally Narcissa noticed me, and so did Malfoy.

"Oh, good, Ginevra, would you please floo Mr Jacobs from the Human Resource department and find out why he has not handed the latest staff report to me?" She smiled as she gestured for me to join their little party.

"Oh, he gave it to me, Mam'. He had about a dozen people left to interview and office hours are nearly over." I handed everything right over to her.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Malfoy narrowed his eyes at me. He checked me out from head to foot, his eyes lingering on the womanly curves on my body a little more than I would appreciate but not long enough to make me feel uncomfortable.

He finally looked up and met my gaze as Narcissa turned to chat with Ms Unknown.

"Weaslette?" He mouthed at me, not wanting to catch the gossiping women attention.

I nodded my head in a show of acknowledgement; I had already given up on him actually deciding to call me by my name.

He raised an eyebrow looking at my attire again. I was wearing a red blouse with slightly puffy sleeves and a black pencil skirt that my top was tucked neatly into. My hair was done up in a half pony tail and I wore really light make up, just press powder and chap stick or lip balm. My shoes were black, kitten heeled and unbranded, courtesy of Hermione. I looked fairly decent but I was going for the I-work-for-a-fashion-magazine look.

I knew what he said, 'raised eyebrows' translated to, "Muggle clothes, Weasley? Really?"

I shrugged helplessly; his mother was the one who had ordered me to wear this. How was I at fault?

I was half-expecting him to get all racist on me and insult my clothes and everything but at the same time, I felt like there was something different about him and that arrogant prick that used to exist back at school. From an observational point right now, he was different; both personalities were of completely polar opposites, although he was still a prat.

To my surprise, he did what I least expected him to do; actually it doesn't make it on the least. Not that there was actually one.

He checked me out swiftly from head to foot once again, smiled ever so lightly and gestured with his hands that I looked brilliant.

I was stunned. I looked at him in disbelief and he just smiled at me, the smile completely reaching his eyes and melting the ice I always saw there.

And then he turned and left the conversation, after muttering an apology and excusing himself.

Narcissa sighed as she looked after him and so did her friend, I presumed.

"Sometimes I wonder what kind of son I gave birth to?"

_Someone with two personalities that is for sure. _Born on 5 June, he was a Gemini and there were two sides to their personalities.

Watching him walk away, my heart felt a little lighter yet heavier at the same time.

He was better, yet he was still in danger.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy that he was back. Overjoyed apparently, it's that my gut feelings were on an overdrive.

I may not have been a psychic, fortune teller, possess foresight or even the Inner Eye as the old bat, Trelawney put it. However, I did know something, a change was coming. I could feel it in my bones.

Life was full of surprises.

* * *

**This was just an appetizer. ;p The main course is on its way. Ravish my review button please. ;p you guys are great. I love all of your brilliant comments and have taken to replying. X**


	8. Chapter 8 Christmas

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 8. Christmas**

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_25__th__ December 2009, 8.00pm,_

_MALFOY IS BARKING MAD. Grrrr…. _

_8.30pm, _

_In the midst of adding business meetings into Blackberry_

_9.00pm, _

_DONE_

_Checking Malfoy – Donner memorandum contract for errors. (Since when did that become my job?)_

_9.15pm, _

_DONE _

_Dear Mr Draco __I'm-a-fucking-insufferable-ferret__ Malfoy, _

_Can I go home now? I'm tired. _

_Crap, there is another letter waiting to be drafted! Oh go to hell, Malfoy, employ a new secretary. I QUIT! _

_9.20pm, _

_I am writing this letter on the behalf of Draco Malfoy, Director of Malfoy Empire._

_9.23pm, _

_I would appreciate it if you could send me a copy of …_

_9.25pm, _

_Yours faithfully…. Or was it sincerely?_

_Oh wait! I don't know the dude whom I'm supposed to send this letter to. So it's faithfully._

I smiled wryly, stifling a yawn as I remembered my muggle friend Brad's words when we had a short module on Writing for Business during university. The One Night Stand theory as we called it. If I mentioned it, I was already known to have a potty mouth; I don't know what the next title was given to a person with words harsher than the mere sailor tongue.

Of course, it's a typical theory; you only remember something if there was something funny or catchy about it. In this case, Brad Pitcher's One Night Stand theory worked.

_Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley_

I signed my name as I bit on my lips in full concentration. Normally I wasn't much of a biter but today I was rather frustrated. For the one and only reason, IT WAS CHRISTMAS!

And guess what? I was at work sitting in my cabin, compensating for the loss of working time as Malfoy had claimed.

_Bastard_

It all started after I left work yesterday, exhausted yet somehow excited to have a day off. Before I left, I had made sure to confirm with Narcissa regarding that since Malfoy was not around.

She had cried out, "Why, of course you have the day off, Ginevra dear, what did you expect? We do not make people slog around here you know."

I obviously had taken her word for it.

Little did she know…

So when I finally went home, I spent the evening baking Christmas goodies and treats for my family in Bulgaria. I had a fetish for baking ever since I was little and since then, everyone depended on me to make the desserts. It was my first Christmas alone, one tradition was already broken. The one about Christmas time being family time; hence it was not good to break another.

My caramel apples, chocolate apples – which I knew Fleur revered, toffee, ginger cake; basically a variety of treats lay waiting for Ramsey, the new family owl to deliver the parcel over to them in Bulgaria. Errol had long ago expired, shortly after Hedwig – Harry's first owl was killed during the escape from Privet Drive, ages ago.

Not only that, I wrapped gifts and that took ages. I had managed to get each and everyone in my family something. Here is the list of Christmas presents that I had made out of boredom at work.

_Dad – A muggle computer mouse for his laptop_

_Mum – A second-hand cookbook filled with cuisines from different cultures_

_Bill – A burnt CD filled with music from the muggle rock band, Green Day_

_Fleur – New Marvin Choques stilettos from his Sapphira collection_

…

Well, you got the picture.

So, thanks to my family, I basically had a late night. By the time Mum was finally done voicing her concerns about my 'failing' health after I flooed them to wish them a Happy Christmas, it was way past midnight.

And, though I would never admit this to anyone, I was afraid of being alone in the Burrow, especially at night. The fact that we had a family ghoul did not actually help, so it took me ages to actually get to sleep since my senses were on an over-alert mode. By the time I actually did fall asleep, it was close to dawn.

There went my beauty sleep, not that it worked at all, I was still the plain old ordinary me. My Iphone vibrated at like 6.15 in the morning, displaying a number that I did not fully recognize. _Oh scratch that, when I look back at my list of missed calls, I realize that I've never seen that number in my entire life._

"Hello?" I answered with a sleep-ridden, extremely groggy voice wondering who on earth had the nerve to call me at this ungodly hour.

"Good morning Weasley, may I inform you that you are a fifteen minutes late for work. Can you give me a reason why I should not fire you?" A calm, yet familiar voice greeted me.

I was vaguely reminded of the days when Professor Snape took pleasure in announcing my arrival whenever I was late for Potions, which, _mind you,_ was at least once a week. Sometimes even twice, it depended on the pile of homework I stayed up doing each night.

_It's a house thing,_ I grumbled to myself. They probably practiced this sort of thing in their Slytherin common room or something, that's why he sounds like Snape_. Or I've gone mad._

Of course, hearing his voice was as though someone poured a pitcher of ice cold water on me, I sat up immediately with the phone glued to my ear as though I was trying out desperately for a contest on the radio or something.

"Isn't it Christmas?" I asked, stupidly, checking the calendar on my radio clock which glowed eerily on my bedside table. Of course, that confirmed it.

"What do you think?" He asked me, sarcastically, his voice getting icier by the second. I felt like Titanic, about to crash into that gigantic iceberg.

"Er…" I didn't know what to say.

Of course, internally, I was swearing.

"Don't even answer that, Weasley. I want to see you in my office within the next forty five minutes." He hung up the phone before I could even say anything.

_Bastard_

I was probably the first person to curse someone on Christmas morning. On the bright side, I did not really have anyone to greet with that mouth of mine, seeing as everyone was overseas.

I stubbed my toe a couple of times as I raced around the house in the dark while I got ready, definitely in record time. Of course, I looked like a wreck, a masterpiece.

Before I left though, I stopped, thinking casually for a few minutes. It was after all, Christmas and I had to give Malfoy something or another to appease him at the very least. I may not have owned the potion to immortality or anything more precious than all his wealth but I did know that my chocolate truffle cake was to die for.

Sadly, I packed the entire cake, minimized it and tucked it away.

I didn't think to dress in office attire hence, I went there wearing a grey second hand Juicy Couture sweat suit that was extremely comfortable and my beloved Converse. My hair still wet from the quick shower I had taken was tied up in an extremely loose pony tail. _Great, so even hair ties were on my list of things I need._

That's not the worst part though; it was the fact that the floo gate at Malfoy Empire was spoilt. I had no means of immediate transport which meant that I had to take the Knockturn Alley route again.

So finally, grabbing all essential items like my Iphone and wand, I grabbed a fistful of floo powder and threw it violently into the chimney and walked right in while screaming directions to 'The Leaky Cauldron'. And from there, I did not think twice, I sprinted, wincing as my shoes got soaked with ice.

Basically, I forgot that it was winter and I had to wear boots instead of sneakers. _GREAT! _Don't even get me started on my winter cloak. It wasn't even mine to begin with.

I ignored my surroundings and increased my pace; you won't believe how hard it was to run in snow. At least, it was too cold for me to actually sweat but I was panting when I finally reached the entrance. For once, I ran across Diagon Alley and did not actually get really freaked out.

I had angels watching over me today.

A look inside told me that the place was bloody hell empty, there was not a soul in sight _and I was called back to work? _It was freaky, my shoes left wet imprints on the ground. For the first time ever, I saw this place like how it should be every morning when I came to work for Malfoy.

I think he wanted to scare me, I could hear my own footsteps. I glanced around nervously at the barely lit area. Since I hardly came to this area, I was not very sure on where I should go so I relied on my gut instincts.

_This place should come with a map_; it was nearly as big as Hogwarts. Of course, Malfoy had to be alive for centuries to ensure that degree of success.

I took an elevator and pressed a random floor on instinct. Merlin, this place was creepy, my nerves were frazzled as I realized that it did not stop on the floor I had pressed but instead went on to the very last floor of the tower.

I should have known that he would have been behind this.

Stepping out, I took a look at the poorly lit corridor that now looked exceedingly familiar. I took out the small little present for Malfoy and enlarged it back to its normal size before walking at an excruciatingly slow speed to his door.

"You are late." He called out his own personal way of greeting me nearly every morning, except today, there was no smirk. I could tell he was fuming mad; perhaps that's why the entire office was void of people.

He did not want witnesses when he tortured me with the Cruciatus Curse and had his way entirely with me. _Of course, that sounded a little wrong in the entire context didn't it? _

So my mind was on my constant rambling of random thoughts until Malfoy literally made me jump right back into reality.

"WEASLEY! Did you even hear a word I said?" He glared daggers at me. Needless to say, his eyes reminded me of the shine of blades, _no pun intended_.

I stared at him, dumbfounded, wondering what response would satisfy him.

"Just go from here." He sighed, tiredly. _Why did I feel so guilty all of a sudden?_

I left the little box containing my gift and walked towards my own cabin to get started on my work, feeling too guilty to think about leaving.

"You're working overtime tonight." _Trust him to demand it._

It was my fault to directly assume that just because it was Christmas; it would have been my off day. Maybe I'd get to socialize around with people by attending small-scaled parties that I was actually invited too.

Lavender Brown was throwing a Christmas party with her husband, Dean Thomas – my ex boyfriend and I was invited. Of course, Dean and I were on good terms, hell, I recommended him to Lavender.

I had been feeling really lonely with no one being at home, I needed some noise and possibly some friends to make everything seem alright.

So here I was, stuck and bored till the extremes; I was antsy by nature. I could never sit still for a while. Right now though, I was on the verge of falling asleep on my desk. I had flocks of sheep invading my thinking space, forcing me to count them despite not wanting to…. _1, 2, 3, 4…..10….._

"Wake up." Someone shook me uncertainly yet gently out of my seemingly uncomfortable slumber. My bed felt hard and cool and… I never slept with my pillow on my face… _What the…!_

I woke up reluctantly and stretched, taking a look at my surroundings which never failed to stop haunting me. Apparently, I could not get a bloody day off in my dreams as well.

I yawned, my eyes finally choosing to settle on the cause of my sleepy doom.

It was Malfoy, _of course_.

He looked at me as though he expected me to disappear into thin air any minute.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me, confounded, apparently.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I retorted, forgetting that he was my boss and I was supposed to respect him. _Yadda, yadda, yadda._

I took a look at the time on my old leather wrist watch. _Holy…_

"Goodness me, it's so late." I exclaimed in surprise. Time had really flown, although I suppose that was probably because I had fallen asleep in the midst of drafting, whatever I was doing.

I glanced at my table only to notice that the draft which I had fallen asleep on was slightly wet with my drool. _Totally unglamourous! _I winced thinking of my boss reaction after he saw what I had done. At least it was complete.

"You should have left a long time ago." Malfoy informed me.

Now I understood what he meant.

And to think I was going to flare up at him because I assumed that he had conveniently forgotten that he had called me back to work on Christmas.

_Fat hopes, Ginny, fat hopes._

Of course, if that had happened, I would have probably avada-ed him on the spot.

"Didn't you say that I was working overtime tonight?" I was getting more confused by the minute.

He shook his head, "Forget it, Weaselette. C'mon, you have to leave now. I'll escort you to the apparating grounds in Diagon Alley. The floo gate is under maintenance."

My heart sank and my fear bubbled like a volcano. He did not know that my biggest phobia was apparating. I didn't have a choice; it was like using the Bunsen burner in Muggle Studies: Science. You did not have a choice whether you wanted to light it or not.

A small hope awakened in me that maybe, just maybe I would overcome my fear just because he was with me. I mean, the thought of him finding out was painful enough.

"Okay." I shrugged, "Let's go then."

The document filled with drool appeared as if on cue in my mind, I picked it up, showing it to Malfoy who made a another copy with just a flick of his wand and a spell I had never ever heard of.

"After you, Weasley." He held my door for me like a gentleman much to my surprise.

As we walked down the deserted corridors of Malfoy Empire, I realised that I would never ever want to be caught dead alone in a place as huge as this. With Malfoy by my side, my imagination was already running wild; I think without him, I'd probably suffer a heart attack or something. I inched closer towards him.

Our footsteps echoed as we walked beside each other in seemingly uncomfortable yet at the same time comfortable silence. I didn't know how we did that. I felt comfortable, grateful in fact for his presence yet the silence was endearing.

"Do you really stay out here this late at night?" I blurted out, breaking the silence that was like a wall between us.

He looked at me as I probed him for an answer.

"Yes." He replied shortly, I could tell that he was not in a mood for much conversation.

He probably was not getting laid tonight.

"Doesn't it bug you? I mean, don't you ever get frightened by the fact that you are in this building alone?" I looked at my environment in wonder.

He rolled his eyes to himself," Why should I? I made this place. I know every nook and cranny of the entire building."

True. I nodded my head understanding what he meant.

We walked,_ no_, trudged through the thick snow while I let my thoughts wonder again.

_Why didn't he just disable the anti – apparating wards like Narcissa had done, the last time? _

"The wards have been renewed, only she knows how to disable them temporarily."

I looked at him wondering how he'd voiced the answer to my thoughts only to realize that I had spoken them aloud.

My feet were frozen and soaked, if we stayed any longer in the ice, I would be without toes when I returned home. I groaned at my stupidity, causing Malfoy to look over in curiosity.

He shook his head, as I shivered from the icy breeze that had enveloped us along the street.

"Once a weasel, always a weasel."

"Hey!" I protested indignantly as he gave me his usual smirk. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He removed his own thick black cloak and placed it around my shoulders making us stop in the middle of nowhere only so that he could fasten it around my neck. I looked right up at him, surprised at this thoughtful gesture.

Apparently my shivering and constant huddling towards him for body heat was not inconspicuous enough. His cloak felt like heaven, it was as though someone had dumped a sun bear on me or something. It was velvet and definitely expensive.

Below his cloak, he wore a plain, obviously classy cashmere black crew neck sweater and dark coloured pants. _Muggle clothing. _He looked dashing; the clothes gave him a rather dangerous appeal. Not to mention how the fitting sweater brought out hints of his hidden muscles. I could tell, he was not overly bulky, but he was not slender, _if that was the correct word to describe._

I couldn't help but think that he would totally pull of the dangerously sexy look if he had a leather jacket on him right now. _Mmmm, leather jackets, motorbikes._ I had a fetish for that stuff.

_Great, so now I was fantasizing about my boss. _

His grey eyes met mine and I stared right into its smouldering depths. There was a hint of genuine concern as well sincerity which he clearly tried to mask.

"I'm alright, really." I said in vain, not quite comfortable with the idea of wearing his cloak to keep myself warm.

"You're turning blue. Wear it." He insisted. I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off before I could say anything.

"If you get sick, you're fired."

I smiled understanding that it was his way of telling me that he cared. I liked it, a lot. And it was weird but reason found me. I had never ever seen a warmer side of Malfoy before, and now that I had seen it, I liked it. It was nice to know that the former Ice Prince of Slytherin had a heart.

He abruptly looked away, breaking the spell as his hands moved around my waist, fishing for something. I was alarmed, before I could say anything; he had already removed his hand from the pockets of his cloak. Turns out that he was finding his wand, he pointed it towards my feet and muttered a spell causing blue sparks to fly.

Instantly my feet felt warmer and my gratitude towards him increased and we carried on.

"So you haven't told me what you meant by the whole 'once a weasel...' line." I was determined to get it out of him.

"Does it matter? " His hands were in his pockets as he walked beside me. I was glad that he was protected by his cashmere sweater if not anything else. At the same time, he definitely had heating charms.

"Yes. I'm not a weasel! What is that supposed to mean?" I put my hands on my hips demanding to know.

Right now, we definitely not on an employer – employee basis, we were Malfoy and Weasley like in Hogwarts. Except that we were much nicer to one another.

He sighed, exasperatedly, "What did you do with your salary?"

I suppose he was curious because I had definitely made it clear that time that it was my very first pay. But _uh-oh, _he couldn't know about the whole donation thing.

My partially frozen brain scrambled for an answer, I was a terrible liar. It was a miracle the whole facade at home had gotten up until this far. It was probably because my family only saw what they wanted to see and nothing else.

"Er... I spent it." I managed weakly grateful that it was dark; at least he could not actually see me blushing like a ripe tomato.

He looked at me incredulously probably wondering what I had blown my entire salary on. Even though it was not considered much money these days, 5000 galleons could actually buy a lot of things. _The latest Firebolt 2010, Reagan Vartanian's Stormy Night painting..._ I could imagine him crossing out items from a mental list that he had probably conjured in his mind.

Finally, he gave up, "On...?"

"Stuff..." I shrugged, not wanting to egg him into probing me for details.

Guess what, he did exactly what I was hoping he would not do, _awww man._

"Like...?"

I thought for a few seconds before coming up with a fantastic excuse, well according to me, the world's most terrible actress.

"Er...I shopped for things that I've wanted to get for a really long time." He nodded his head, I could tell as I viewed him from the corner of my eye.

"I converted it to muggle money and got an X-box 360, Playstation 3, PSP, a boom box ... Basically muggle electronic devices. You get the picture." I shrugged again as he turned to look at me with his blonde eyebrows raised.

"Video game junkie, huh?" He asked me, humourlessly.

"One can never get enough from video games." I quoted from an adorable source, little Teddy Lupin who was gaga over those muggle games.

"Teddy is crazy about those games." I added on casually.

He smiled slightly and under the dim street lights, I could see the fondness he had for his nephew.

"He is, isn't he? I tried to get him to play Quidditch once, he ran back to the box as soon as the game was over. "His smile widened at the memory.

"Apparently, he has got some artistic abilities as well." I said, remembering his latest obsession of filling the refrigerator with his master pieces.

"Aunt Andromeda told Mother that she was thinking of signing him up for art classes. Said he had real talent. I haven't seen." He sounded rather regretful, his face now a blank.

"Well, then you should go and see it soon. Christmastime is family time." I implied meaningfully.

"Oh knock it off, Weasel. You're just mad because I didn't let you sleep in." He rolled his eyes to himself childishly.

"I was up half the night, baking. I can't sleep well with everyone gone. The silence is just eerie." I confessed feeling rather irate at the same time. I can't believe I did that, no one else knew how much I hated sleeping alone in the Burrow.

He looked at me in surprise, "Baking?" He echoed. I was grateful for the fact that he had just ignored my unwilling confession.

"I like to bake." I answered, shortly. _Surely he did not have to know everything about my life right? _

"Figures. You made that cake?" I nodded my head, silent.

"It was absolutely irresistible." He complimented me.

For unexplainable reasons, I felt myself glowing with delight at his truthful praise. I supposed it was because I was complimented by an aristocrat who had probably savoured the most high-class desserts up till date.

"Thanks."

I could tell that we were reaching the apparating grounds soon. He did not have to send me all the way there, even though it was dark, I was sure that I would be fine on my own.

"Hey, er, Malfoy...?"

"Hmmm?"

"You don't really have to escort me all the way there you know..."

"I'm not escorting you, Weasel, as you kindly put it. I'm going home too."

_Okay._

"Prat."

"Did you say something?" I met his intimidating, piercing eyes and changed my words immediately.

_Merlin, this man gave me mixed feelings._

"I said, 'rat'." I pointed towards the ground pathetically.

He smirked, knowing that it was not at all what I had said.

We crossed the border, a metal gate with a sign attached that said, 'FEEL FREE TO DISAPPEAR.' We stopped a couple of metres away from the gate and I felt the sinking feeling return. This was it.

"After you, Weasel." He gestured grandly.

"Yeah, erm, okay." I could feel the blood draining from my face as we spoke. My blood pressure was definitely lowering and my sugar level. I had munched on a couple of Chocolate Frogs earlier today; it probably did not seem like it right now.

I closed my eyes apparently attempting to do my thing and apparate.

In classes, we had learnt to picture the place we want to be at and relax but all I could tell myself to do was to apparate, apparate and apparate. So guess what, it didn't work. _Big surprise._

Malfoy realised a couple of seconds later that something was amiss. I think it was because of my erratic breath intakes. I was fighting a mini panic attack internally.

"Weasel, you need to relax. Haven't apparated in a long time, have you?" He assumed that he had found the root of the problem.

"Just relax. And think of your home." His words were gentle and comforting. A million times better than my own thoughts that was telling me to do the same thing anyway.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to pace my breathing and thought fondly of the place I called home. I heard a 'pop' sound. Exactly like the sound that you would hear while testing for hydrogen during a science test. The very sound I hated.

Nausea was building up in me, someone shook me and I immediately opened my eyes to my homely surroundings. _Malfoy?_

He glared at me, "I asked you to think of your home, Weasel. Not grab me alongside with you when you did that."

I looked around and realised that I had performed Side- Along apparition. That thought made me feel a little better about conquering my phobia. We were standing at the lit porch of the Burrow.

"Oops." I muttered sheepishly, feeling like a complete idiot. Malfoy decided to take a look around and I grew defensive of my surroundings.

"Just say it already." I told him tiredly.

"Say what?" He looked at me, puzzled.

"That it looks like a pig sty, perfect place for Weasels... whatever." I gestured airily.

"Actually..." He arched an eyebrow, "I was going to say that it looks cosy."

My jaw dropped open as he nodded his head confirming that I had heard right. _Are you freaking me? Draco Malfoy called the Burrow 'cosy'? I needed a statement._

I had expected him to look around and sneer in disdain but he was doing nothing of that sort. In fact, he looked around interestedly examining the littlest things like our potted plants and the herbs that Mum grew on the front garden. That was predictably unexpected.

He probably wouldn't think the same way about the inside. We kept it neat and tidy but in all honesty, it was a clutter of typical family mess. Only we thought it was perfect.

I was ready for him to go now. Watching him look around was making my imagination run wild. For a moment there, it almost felt as though he was my date, sending me home and about to kiss me goodnight.

It was the tiredness that was talking; I shuddered in vain attempts to repress thoughts and images of kissing Draco Malfoy that was flooding my mind.

"Er..." I began awkwardly, "I know, you didn't choose to follow me back, but while you're here, thank you for technically dropping me to my doorstep. I appreciate it. Well, kind of, in a way." And I did.

"It's alright. At least I get to see where you Weasels live. It's been a childhood fantasy." I could see a playful smirk on his face.

"Well, at least your child-self will rest in peace now that he has gotten his answers. I wonder if it's up to his expectations." I retorted back sarcastically.

"Temper, temper, Weasel." He warned me. I was getting crankier from the lack of sleep by the minute.

"It's Ginny." I snapped, the 'W' word finally getting to me.

He gave me a questioning look. "It's your Christmas present to me, since I gave you the cake."

"That was my Christmas present?" He looked at me in surprise. I nodded my head, yawning.

"Well in comparison to that, calling you by your real name completely pales. I do not gift pathetic excuses of gifts to people, staff or not, Ginny." He had that classic air in him.

_Ginny_. I liked how it sounded on his lips. He made it sound so exquisite yet so normal at the same time.

My exhaustion was making me lose my senses. Or maybe it was the Draco Malfoy fumes. Even so, I smiled, lighting up.

"What do you normally receive for Christmas?" He asked me curiously.

"Hmmm..." I thought about it, "A Weasley sweater, and random stuff from the rest. It depends on the person."

"Any Christmas wishes?" He asked again, thoughtfully.

It was really taking its toll, if I could fall asleep on the wall now, I totally would.

"Right now..." I yawned, feeling obligated to answer and unobligated at the same time to cover my mouth.

My parents had taught me manners but right now, screw it. He needed to know that I was dead on my feet.

"I would kill to have a day off. How does that sound?" I rubbed my eyes.

He thought for a moment. "Not bad, Wea- Ginny." He corrected himself just in time.

I was probably pushing my luck with him and he was probably messing around with my head.

"Alright then, Malfoy..." He interrupted me before I could bid him goodnight.

"Draco" He said in an almost pleasant way. "It's only fair if I called you by your first name, you'd have to call me by mine. Even in the office." He explained.

"Draco" I repeated, testing his name on my tongue. It had a little tingle to go with it. A tingle that sort of heightened my senses but that was probably me going crazy.

He smiled hearing his name on my lips.

I was curious about one thing though as he turned to leave, "Why did you think that my wish was not bad?"

"Well, I presumed that you, like other girls, would have a complete new wardrobe in mind. And in your case, it'd probably be top-ranking since you spent your salary on electronic devices." He replied offhandedly.

I narrowed my eyes at his comment.

"I think I've made it clear tons of times, I'm not like other girls, Mal-Draco."

"That you aren't." He agreed as he appraised me with that piercing yet cool look.

"Merry Christmas, Draco." I wished him with all faith as he turned to disapparate.

"Merry Christmas, Ginny." He replied with equal emotions.

It was then that I could tell that we had finally reached a truce from all that name calling and blood feuds.

Christmas was such a miracle.

* * *

**AH, I hope you guys loved the main course. Review and tell me what you think. ;p **

**This chapter is for my mum and dad. Mama, Daddy, Happy Anniversary. If you hadn't fallen in love, I wouldn't have been born. I'm blessed to have you both as my parents. I love you both.**

**Alright. Click on the button to review. You know you want to. :)**


	9. Chapter 9 It's a New Day

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 9. It's a new day**

* * *

_I lay in his arms unconcerned about my surroundings as we observed the diamond-like stars twinkle in the midnight blue sky. It was a coolly beautiful night out; I shivered lightly, my bare shoulders prickling with goose bumps. I couldn't tell if they were from the anticipation of being with him or simply because I was feeling cold. _

_Either ways, he felt my discontentment and moved his arm protectively around me so that now, his incredibly toned chest became my pillow and his fiery heat, my body warmth. He used his other hand as his headrest as he observed the sky with such intensity, as though he was searching for answers for questions of his own. _

"_Better?" He kissed my forehead softly with his soft lips. I closed my eyes, sighing in utter bliss. His simple touch was enough to turn my body into livewire. _

_There was nothing but pure silence between us and we were comfortable with that. It gave us comfort, serenity and so many other qualities that we always dreamt of having but never once did have, until we found each other._

_Mindlessly, my fingers traced the pale contours of his muscles and his grip tightened on me. I kissed his bare chest from where my wandering fingers had unbuttoned his ash black shirt, a colour that he seemed partial to. My lips moved their way up his neck, feeling the force he had planted on his Adam's apple. He was holding back, I could tell. _

_I brushed my lips down that path once more before playfully nipping his chin. I looked up to meet his stormy eyes._

"_Ginny…." He growled warningly, his eyes clouded with dangerous desire and conflicting emotions. I winked at him mischievously, egging my man on._

"_I could lie here with you forever." I told him truthfully. His arms made me feel protected, loved and it took away my littlest doubt. _

"_Me too." He smiled at me as he kissed my eyelids. Moving down, he kissed my nose, knowing that it was a sensitive spot. _

"_If I sneeze…." I threatened, not really meaning a word, "I'll use your shirt as my hankie." _

_He laughed at this, "You say the strangest things at the oddest time." His lips were not far from mine now. It won't be soon before long when his would capture mine and ravish them with one of his passionate, mind blowing kisses. _

_I closed my eyes as invitation, I was all his, he knew and he was all mine. It started off as a chaste kiss; a simple kiss on the lips which slowly deepened into something fervent. Soon enough, my hands were gripping his hair, combing through the silk platinum blonde mass roughly. _

_His hands were all over my body, lighting me up as he went. There was a light tapping noise in the background which I chose to ignore. Caught up in the heat of the moment, I turned so that he could be on top of me instead. _

"_Mmmm…Draco." I moaned feverishly arching my back as his butterfly kisses brushed my collar bone. I simply couldn't get enough of him._

Wait a minute, _Draco_?

It was as though the television in my mind exploded when the bucket of iced water aka reality was splashed right onto my head.

"Yeowch!" Talk about an unpleasant way to wake up, seriously. I groaned in pain, wincing as I touched my skull only to feel the raw tenderness of my injury. In my shock, I had fallen out of my bed.

"What the….. Good morning, Mr. Floor." I mumbled miserably as I lay slumped over the cold wood thanking divine powers that Mum loved our mini farm thing and hated the idea of Italian marble for tiles.

_Ugh_, my head was throbbing in pain; it'd definitely leave a bump or something unpleasantly embarrassing. I sat up, rubbing my head in self-pity. That tapping was persistent, the one from my dream, or nightmare; I didn't quite know what to call it.

_Did I really just dream that Draco Malfoy and I were in the middle of a snogfest? Or did I just have a nightmare that my boss and I were having an illicit affair?_

I'm exaggerating as usual, being my overly dramatic self but honestly, I kissed my boss in my dreams, I'd never be able to look at him the same way ever again. It was like stumbling upon PlayWizard or other pornographic material, somehow, your way of looking at things or someone would never be the same again.

_Man, I was so screwed._

"Oh, go away." I grumbled to the tapping, apparently grumpy about having lost whatever I had left of my sleep before I woke up and went to work. _Which reminded me…._

"What the…. fudge!" I cursed, well technically, scrambling up in panic after I had set my sights on my digital alarm clock.

"I'm late….!" I wailed, my mind randomly moving to thoughts about my periods aka monthly course. Of course, that was not the case. I was regular, thank you very much.

No matter what miracle had taken place last night outside this very cottage, Mal-Draco would still fire me! I was totally done for. It was 8am. _How could I have slept through the ringing of my alarm?_

The tapping grew louder sounding more like a woodpecker pecking on wood. I turned to the direction of the noise in mid-panic. There was an owl at my window, a very irate owl, I realized from its expression as I neared my window.

It looked classic, not the types that you'd find in the Apothecary in Diagon Alley even though dear Hedwig, bless her feathery soul was a beautiful snowy white bird. This bird screamed 'Draco Malfoy' all over it with its silky raven black wings and sharp, fierce looking blue eyes. This was a rare find.

It had a letter in its mouth; I was pretty sure that if I didn't take it this very instant, the owl would combust. Ah, my termination letter. I felt my heart sinking, a feeling that I was slightly accustomed too over the many mistakes I had made in my time at Malfoy Empire. This was it, the real moment where I was about to be terminated.

His owl flew off, probably glad to be done with its duty before I could even thank it, let alone attach a reply or something. With shaky hands, I finally opened the letter which had the Malfoy crest on it.

_You are fired._

As soon as I had finished reading those three words with a heavy heart, the letter, like a Howler, immediately burst into flames, scaring the hell out of me. Yet however, it did not turn into ashes, instead, there was a new parchment with something else written on it. I stared at it, wary and paranoid with the idea that it might burn my hand.

And then I noticed something written on it, something, rather personal.

_Pick it up already, it won't bite. Or burn. _

_You are not fired, relax. I was bored. You're having the morning off._

_See you at noon. Please floo. We do not need you ending up in the icy forests of Czechoslovakia._

_DM_

_P.S: Go back to sleep._

"Asshole." I cursed, feeling my heart swelling like a balloon in immense relieve. That job was starting to grow on me. Before I could crush the paper I noticed something else scribbled at the bottom.

_P.S2: I heard that. _

I rolled my eyes to myself. For someone who was my boss, he sure knew me well enough. Oddly though, he had the right, whether we wanted to or not, we had spent the six most important, developing years of our lives together in the same castle of knowledge.

Okay, I guess anyone who knew me a teeny weenie bit would understand that the good old predictable me would know that would be the exact way that I reacted. I had jumped to conclusions with my thoughts.

Which brought me back to my dreams; I blushed at the thought of the very dream. I was kissing my boss and it felt fantastic. Even though I knew subconsciously that I was crossing all morals and that it was equivalent to committing taboo, I still wanted it.

_Was I really that screwed up as a person?_

On the bright side, I had at least half the day to brainwash myself out of this wholly ridiculous yet somehow nice dream that I had.

I spent the entire morning trying to drown out those thoughts by doing the littlest things. I cleaned my house, without magic. Molly Weasley would have been proud; the things you learn to do for yourself when your family is away, honestly.

"I will not think of Draco. I will not think of Draco." I muttered studiously to myself as I scrubbed a greasy pan, hard.

"Think of what, dear?" The familiar sound of my mother's loving voice made me jump.

"Mum! You scared the rats out of me!" I protested as the soapy pan cluttered on the kitchen floor with a bang.

She laughed from the fireplace, "I just wanted to check on how you were doing, dear."

"Well, I'm great." I answered her monotonously as I resumed to my washing.

"That is very nice of you." I could literally hear the frown in my mother's voice. I was not facing her; she was at the kitchen fireplace.

There was a lecture coming on, I anticipated it.

"Ginny, how is it that it is after Christmas and you have not opened your gifts?" So she had noticed my stash of unopened gifts on the kitchen table.

"I had no time, Mum. I worked till late, last night." I winced, hearing her shrilly gasp.

_Uh oh. _At the very least, my mum did me a favor by making me open my Christmas gifts at the same time, making me endure a lecture for twenty minutes. I received awesome items, mind you, really. Not at all what I expected, especially that typical lumpy package that contained the famous Weasley jumper that I received every year ever since I was born, was cashmere and cobalt blue.

I pulled it on top of my tank top thinking that I'd wear it to work today with my acid wash jeans and Charlie's old and magically shrunken dragon hide boots.

The house was spic and span when the time finally came for me to leave. And for once, I actually came to work on time, in fact, half an hour earlier. I was taking a stroll around the office, observing the dedication and efforts of the staff. Really though, this place was militaristic.

I bid someone a good day as she walked right past me and she did not even response. Somehow I felt that Malfoy oops, I mean, Draco, _really I have to get used to calling him that, _was uncharacteristically inspired by the Japanese people.

I remember learning about them during Muggle History in Muggle Studies though I forgot the Japanese term used to describe them. They'd have to live in the office, _have I ever thought of this before?_ I wondered, inwardly having a flash of déjà vu as I sipped brewed chamomile tea in my ceramic company mug.

Even though I was definitely not a hot drinks person, chamomile tea was clearly known for its calming effects which I desperately needed because my senses were in an overdrive. Clearly, Malfoy Empire did nothing to rid me of the dreams I had the night before.

Maybe it was an indication, I last dated …. Actually, when was the last time I actually went out on a date? _Holy Merlin!_ I couldn't remember! I strained my memory but all I could think of was the Hogwarts days when my exes were Michael Corner, Dean Thomas and Harry Potter.

Yes, Harry Potter, believe it or not, we dated each other until that stupid plot came about and we broke up (he dumped me) because he thought that he was too dangerous for me and all of that truckload of garbage. I got my degree, and when I returned from my induced exile, we both had realized that we could never be more than truly, purely platonic, good friends.

I considered him a brother now. Just thinking about it though, my dating history was pathetic. I now stood near the receptionist area where, my arch-nemesis, Audrina was supposed to be on duty. I had her work schedule memorized because I kept an eye on her from time to time.

"Where is Audrina?" I asked Martina, the head customer service officer also known as head receptionist, curiously.

"She has gone to take a break. It is lunchtime, after all." She replied somewhat reluctantly.

_Darn all these receptionists who were being so blatantly rude. _Maybe it was time I had a talk with _my boss_ about hiring new professionals in this area of work. These people were incompetent and undoubtedly unskilled. It was after all, a harmless question.

"Oh, right." I retorted back not believing a word of it and storming away secretly triumphant that I had the last say.

I'll bet my entire month's salary on the fact that Audrina may have been on a break whatsoever but she was most definitely not in the staff cafeteria. She was probably shagging Goyle in a broom closet or something. I winced at the vivid mental images that my mind gifted me with.

Oh well, whatever she was doing, it was clearly none of my business but yet somehow I was interested because of her evil schemes.

I took the elevator bringing forward a rather surprising discussion of hiring new customer service assistants with our human resource manager. I was rather pleased with myself when I saw his expressive disapproval towards his staff.

_Well, at least I had taken care of something,_ I thought to myself as I pulled my hair into a ponytail while walking back to my cabin.

I was about to step into my cabin when something caught my eye. The entrance door towards Mal- Draco's cabin was open. I may not have worked here for long but even I knew that something was absolutely abnormal about this.

I peered in from the entrance; it did not look as though Draco was inside. In fact, he was supposed to be in the middle of a meeting with the Korean delegates at this hour and the meeting was taking place in the conference room which was nowhere near his cabin.

That boosted the thought in my head that there was something fishy that was going on. I fumbled through my jeans tight pocket for my wand and crept in.

Of course, the sight that met my eyes was award winning. Guess who?

Why, Audrina , of course! _Merlin's beard, how the hell did she get access to his office? _I stared at her, horrified, from the doorway.

She hadn't noticed my presence, not yet. Not while she was flipping files. I felt my blood boil.

_That bitch! _

"Looking for something?" I commented in the most malicious voice I could muster.

I have to admit, my inspiration for that was, you guessed right, my boss. Only he could pull off nasty and still look ravishing. **(A/N: Been watching Harry Potter and drooling over Draco for days now, had to include that little comment. ;p)**

_Bloody hell, I did not just say that! _My mind tended to get random when I was feeling jumpy. Right now though, I was a little more than that. I was absolutely livid. This was trespassing!

Only Merlin knew what sort of information she could have had access to from the time she had arrived.

She jumped, looking like a thief caught red handed. Her facial features changed to a sourer look and she stopped whatever she had been doing.

"Oh, it's you." That was her way of greeting me coldly.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I demanded glaring daggers at her.

"Oh nothing." She tried to look innocent, truth be told, she looked anything but that.

"Don't lie, you little bitch. I saw you snooping through Draco's things." I confronted her, unleashing the ferocious Gryffindor lioness in me.

"So now it's Draco, huh? What did you do to get into his pants?" She threw such cheap and weak insults at me.

I paused to calm myself down. Another word and I'd probably pounce on her.

"Well, if I told you, Audrina. I'd have to kill you." I smirked at her, neither confirming her words nor denying.

Let her think whatever she wanted to, I'll be damned if I actually cared about this brainless bimbo's thoughts.

"Oooh, you're his whore now, aren't you?" She taunted me with harsher words.

I rolled my eyes, bored, secretly about to explode with rage. "You mean you just realized? Draco and I have been shagging for ages, Audi."

I gave her a little pet name to show her that I was not affected by her sharp words. It was time for business.

"I know what you and your knob head, loser of a boyfriend are up to, Audrina. And let me tell you something, you're messing with the wrong person. I know what you want, but, I'm not going to let you get it. Over my dead body." I pointed my wand towards her.

I could tell that she was shell-shocked with the unexpected news. Apparently she and that moron, Goyle, had not been so secretive about their mission.

She tried to redeem herself, "Well then, over your dead body it is." She placed a file back on the table and muttered a spell that arranged the room.

Everything was back to where it belonged. She walked over to where I was standing.

"You haven't seen the last of us, bitch. You think that you can just strut in and spoil our plans. No freaking way!" She snapped her fingers at my face. "I'd keep that in mind if I were you."

"Over your dead body." She quoted once again and walked out, her heels clicking away furiously.

Even though I had just received a death threat from Audrina, somehow, I wasn't wholeheartedly affected even though it was still there at the back of my mind as I arranged Draco's table.

_C'mon, it's Audrina, I bet she probably can't even do a levitation spell._ Yes, I was totally arrogant about this.

_Oh who am I kidding, she just did the rearranging spell, the one that I've never even heard of. _

I tried convincing myself and amazingly, it worked_. _For once, even though negative thoughts attacked my head like Deatheaters on a rampage.

I busied myself with the littlest of chores after that. I sharpened my quills and pencils, neatened my desk and replaced old family pictures with new ones. And when I finally got bored of doing pointless work, I sat down comfortably and started playing games on my Iphone.

Some wizard prodigy created this really thrilling and addictive Quidditch game that I was immediately hooked onto. I was so immersed in my game that I didn't realize that I had a guest in my office. A guest by the name of Narcissa Malfoy.

She cleared her throat sophisticatedly as I tried not to look like a deer caught in headlights

"Erm, Narcissa… Such a pleasure." I flinched inwardly at the high falsetto of my voice. _Did she really have to come now?_

"Ginny, dear. Am I disturbing you?" She looked a little apprehensive.

When I finally assured her that I had absolutely nothing to do in the office, she sat down still looking uncertain about what she wanted to say to me.

She looked fabulous as usual, wearing a dark blue velvet dress robe which looked a little too fancy to be corporate but it looked fantastic on her anyway.

"Is everything alright, Narcissa?" I felt concerned for her.

She looked rather upset.

"Not like how I would like it to be." She replied her perfectly manicured nails drumming my desk as she sat directly opposite of me.

"As in…?" I was puzzled.

"You see, dear… Draco and I had a little bit of an argument last night. He came back home rather late…."

My heart was suffocating with guilt fumes when I heard that. Clearly he got home late because of me.

"I know it sounds rather stupid considering the fact that my son is twenty three years old and a grown up, I shouldn't be imposing on his life. But, I can't help it. He is just too immersed in his work! It's as though he strives to perfection! I cannot watch my son wither away." She cried dramatically.

I was astounded. I did not know how to react. _What the hell was she talking about? _

"Er, is there anything that I can do to help?" I phrased my words carefully knowing that she was in a rather volatile state at the moment.

She sniffed in a very dignified manner before answering me, "Yes please, Ginny. Could you get him to have lunch?"

"Oh sure." I replied. _No big deal._ _Wait, WHAT?_

Suddenly I was looking at her as though she had just transformed into Medusa or something.

"You want me to get Draco Malfoy to have lunch? Now?" I snorted. _Fat hopes._

She nodded her head, hopefully.

_Boy did I ever think that I would see this day where I got caught in the middle of a Malfoy family rift. _

"Er, okay." I shrugged. _What's the worst that could happen right?_

"Thank you, dear." Her face lit as though I had just given her the Philosopher's stone for Christmas.

_Damn me to hell and back._

Mal-Draco, _I need to stop doing that_; was in a meeting with Korean delegates.

How the hell was I supposed to march in there and drag him to have lunch?

I smirked as an idea began to form slowly in my mind. Quickly, I went back down to the reception area to check if Audrina had returned from her snooping.

Turns out that she was not back from her snooping adventures yet, or maybe she went pleasure hunting with her troll of a boyfriend as well as whimper to him about my audacities. I rolled my eyes to myself and went about with my plan.

Walking towards the conference room, I felt my heart thumping as I remembered my dream. My cheeks were definitely burning up.

I chanted to myself trying to exude confidence, _you can do this, you can do this._

_What if I went in there and mumbled something about my dream? _I gasped contributing a minor panic attack.

There was a world of possibilities out there. You'd never know unless you tried, the more confident part of my conscience reassured me.

_Oh what the hell._

I pointed toward the door with my wand and murmured the password which was actually rather ridiculous.

"Potato salad."

I walked right in, the thought that my attire was completely unprofessional, occurred to me only when I entered.

Draco looked at me with his eyebrows raised in a questioningly cool manner. I avoided his gaze as I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Annyeonghaseyo **(Greetings in Korean)**, gentlemen…" I cleared my throat as I proceeded with my plan of luring them out of the room.

"I believe that there is an important phone call waiting for you in the reception area. You will be directed to it of course by our receptionist, Audrina…" I grinned evilly inside at the mention of her name, my scapegoat.

"After that, you may proceed for lunch and this meeting shall be continued after a short break." I smiled, feeling as cool as a cucumber.

Honestly though, the Korean delegates looked like they'd rather be anywhere but in the same conference room with Draco.

One of the women even smiled at me gratefully as they left the room, murmuring softly in Korean.

The moment the door closed behind them, I forgot whose presence I was in and punched my fist in the air.

"Mission accomplished." I felt as though I had scored a goal for Quidditch or something.

My exuberance was short lived though when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

_Uh oh._

* * *

**We all hate cliffhangers I know, but I was certain that I'd get murdered if I didn't update soon enough. I'm facing a writer's block plus I'm being piled up with tons of school work.**

**And I'm a suspected vertigo patient. :( So I'm stressed out.**

**I hope you guys do understand. **

**HP7 is releasing soon and I can't wait to watch it! Will update soon, definitely. I just want to get this chapter over and done with.**

**Flamers or anyone, before you can criticize, yes, I wrote this while my mind was not on it and I thought it wasn't too bad. :D**

**So, nice people, please do leave a nice and encouraging review.**


	10. Chapter 10 Harmless

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 10. Harmless**

* * *

I don't quite know about anyone else, but I absolutely hate it when I lose control of things that revolve around me. _Oh let me change that, things that concern me._

It's disconcerting, annoying, appalling, irritating, frustrating, discouraging, crimping, defeating, depressing, disheartening...

_Oh will you look at that, there is an entire list of synonyms for frustrating, online. _

It's New Year's Eve and I'm not even out partying, I have a ghoul waiting for me back at home... and I have like sixty pages worth of data to print before I can actually go back home.

I feel like Scrooge.

Oh and, I've been studiously avoiding Mal-Draco for three straight days now. Mind you, the fact that he is my boss does not make my life any easier.

However, good ole Irish luck has been shining on me for the last couple of days. He has not felt the need to call me and if I ever catch sight of him strutting along the corridor, I hide. Behind a plant, pillar; whatever I can find.

It's amazing what a steamy dream and the paranoid aftermath of an interpretation can do to you.

Yes, believe it or not, after I got home that fateful day, I rummaged through my old school books for my tattered Merlin-knows-how-many-hands-down Divination text book and actually read the entire chapter on interpretation.

So according to that, I crave for positive reactions from my boss. I am lonely and I find him intriguing enough to engage him in any form of activity mentally.

_It sounds bloody insane right? _

I can't help but think that if Hermione were here, she'd knock me on her head with one of those Britannica's that she carries everywhere for a little bit of light reading when she is bored.

Honestly, that woman absolutely abhors fortune-telling.

I actually think that my life would be much easier if I called Draco by his surname. It makes me have icier feelings towards him. His surname is like the Great Wall of China to me.

Why?

Somehow, he is starting to feel like a friend, I can pour my heart out to him without feeling hesitant. He doesn't make me feel bad about it; instead, he makes me feel light, and light is good.

It all started on the day where I was compelled to force Draco to have lunch with me by Narcissa.

So, finally, the Koreans left and I was all happy about accomplishing my job without getting in the littlest bit of trouble, completely forgetting one important detail.

Until that very detail tapped me on the shoulder, making my insides freeze.

I can't believe I forgot about him when moments earlier he had just given me, 'The Look'.

So I gathered my courage, thickened my skin mentally and I faced him with defiance. I don't know what I was expecting, but amusement was definitely not on the list.

_I am such a stereotype._

"Would you care to explain what was that all about or would you rather leave me to my imagination?" He looked, okay well a little on the peeved side.

I tapped my leather strapped wristwatch, "Hello, hero, its lunch time!"

I could tell from his surprised reaction that he hadn't realised that it was already passed the standard non-corporate lunch hour, translation: noon.

"So?" He shrugged at me, not really getting what I was implying.

I decided to break the news to him kindly.

"Today, I'm your lunch date, Draco. So shall we?" I held my hand out grandly pretending to be an escort.

"Let me guess, Mother put you up to this?" He looked at me for confirmation.

"Yes and she won't leave me alone until you eat. I don't blame her because when you don't eat, your stomach releases tons of hydrochloric acid which in turns imbalances the pH value of your tummy at the same time corroding your stomach walls. Whatever the consequences is, it's not good. And you're a businessman, businessmen need food to stay healthy... Merlin, I sound like Mum." I paused, astonished at my startling resemblance to the Weasley matriarch when she gave one of her infamous, eating-is-good lectures.

"So for the next hour, I'm your boss. Lunch is served; I pulled him towards his cabin where piping hot mushroom soup, freshly baked bread and Cornish pasty were already served. There was an apple and a slice of lemon meringue pie for dessert and a glass of chilled fresh milk.

"Wow, looks good." I remarked.

"Help yourself." He answered shortly, indicating for me to sit and following suit. _Manners._

"Oh c'mon. Will the both of you banish your insane pride already? What the hell was the argument about anyway?" I asked curiously.

It's true though, who wouldn't be interested to know what the Malfoy's fought about.

Previously, it was rather predictable with Voldemort and everything.

"Last night, when I 'escorted' you home, I returned late. And Mother was not very happy about it despite the fact that I am nearly twenty four. So I kind of told her off..." He said looking rather sheepish at the end.

"Really? That's all that the both of you fought about and there you are having a cold war?" I shook my head.

"That's how the Malfoy's do it." He shrugged as if that provided an explanation.

"Do the both of you intend to talk anytime soon?" I was amazed with the way they handled things.

"Eventually." I stared at him until he changed his words.

"Okay, okay. Tonight, alright? I'll take her out to dinner. Are you happy now?" He asked rather sarcastically.

"Ecstatic." I smiled.

He ignored that little comment as he pulled the tray over to himself. He was about to take a bite when he stopped and took a look at me.

"Have you eaten?" He enquired looking concerned.

"Yup." I nodded my head, not wanting to give him details of my diet.

"Really?" His blonde eyebrows rose again at that, "So what did you have for lunch?"

_Oops._

"Er, I had lasagne." I blurted out the first dish that entered in my head.

"Did you really?" He dismissed me politely, "How was it?"

_Oh dear._

"Absolutely smashing. It was so good; I wanted to eat the plate." I babbled nervously, trying hard to distract myself from observing his facial expressions.

It wasn't my fault though, he looked good raising his eyebrows, smirking, and looking bored... anything.

I was being haunted by the dream as I admired his facial features.

Draco Malfoy honestly looked like a demi god with his almost-silver hair, stormy yet expressive eyes, and muscular fitting form in his suit which I recognised to be Armani.

I couldn't take my eyes off his lips as he spoke, remembering how the very same lips ravaged me in my dreams and how blissful it felt.

"Wea...Ginny..."He waved his hand in my face making me snap back into reality from a daydream that I had not even realised, started.

Somehow, I imagined him wearing a leather jacket, while he was shirtless looking absolutely badass in jeans.

"Huh?" I looked at him in confusion.

"Some daydream, huh? What was it about?" He glanced at my face, reading its expression.

I could feel blood pooling at my cheeks, "Er, leather jackets and stuff..." I muttered.

"Interesting." He remarked.

"And cut the crap, I know that you've not eaten. So guess what, since you're my lunch date, we're splitting."

I knew that I had no say in the matter so I went ahead with his plan.

"It's not poisoned, is it?" I said, warily examining the food as though I would find traces of cyanide or something.

"You tell me." Draco answered sarcastically as he held out a bite for me to eat with the fork.

Without taking the fork from him, I casually tasted what he had given me, much to his surprise.

"Mmmm, this is good." I told him after I had swallowed.

He proceeded to cut another piece. Just as he was about to pop that bite into his mouth, I interrupted him.

"You're sharing the fork with me? As in DNA?" I was trying my best not to make my jaw drop.

"Sure, why not? Sharing things improves friendship." He shrugged nonchalantly.

I gaped at him feeling astounded. _What the hell happened to blood traitors and mud bloods unite? _

He took a bite and chewed on the piece slowly as though he was savouring all the flavours. When he realised that I had not said anything, he looked up, his grey eyes meeting my pathetic expression.

"What?" He asked, once again raising his eyebrows.

"Er...nothing." I muttered, blood pooling at my cheeks. _Oops!_

"No, seriously? Why are you looking at me as though I have grown two heads? Do I have a stain or something?" He asked me, worriedly looking down at his expensive looking black suit.

That cracked me up. Draco was so narcissistic.

His nostrils flared, he was not amused at all. It was all so silly.

"Ginny, stop laughing and tell me." He insisted.

I shook my head playfully refusing to tell.

"Are you telling me?" He asked, sullenly.

I shook my head again, stifling my giggles.

"Are you sure?" He leaned over the table, pausing when he was just basically an inch away from my face.

Any closer and we would be kissing. That very thought nearly made my heart stop. My breath hitched and all the giggles died within even though I felt this very hysterical need to giggle which I suppressed with all my might.

His fresh breath blew across my face like a drug.

_What the hell was wrong with me, honestly?_

We gazed into each other's before he spoke again, his voice like smooth... _Oh Merlin, I didn't know. _It was just sexy, alright?

"You sure about that?"

"H..Huh?" I stuttered, feeling like a complete fool.

To my surprise then, he burst out laughing. While that was great noise, considering the fact that he barely smiled, I had no clue why he was laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" I managed to ask.

He shrugged mysteriously and gave me a wink.

"Oh no..." I groaned. _So it was going to be like this._

"Oh yes." He smirked, triumphant.

"Alright, it's a fair deal. I'll trade information with you." I told him, it didn't seem like a bad idea at that time.

"Okay. You go first." He gestured.

I sighed, knowing that it was a battle which I had lost without even fighting.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"Hmmm...I want to know why you were gaping at me like a goldfish." He said thoughtfully with his palm resting on his cheek.

I rolled my eyes to myself, "You asked for it. What the hell happened to mudbloods and blood traitors unite?"

He looked puzzled but it dawned onto him later when I further explained.

"So you're saying that you considering yourself inferior compared to me?" He twisted my words.

"You're asking me that?" I said in disbelief. _Who the hell did he think he is? _

No doubt he had the ability to dazzle me, or at least make my insides melt with 'The Look'.

I couldn't find an appropriate word for it yet.

But still. Inferior? No freakin' way, buddy.

So anyway, he explained.

"We're friends now. Friends share stuff, it makes the bond stronger." He shrugged.

To be honest, what he said was true. Sharing did make bonds stronger.

"And besides..." He continued, "It's not like you're Granger or something."

It took me a few seconds to process what he said. And I did the first thing I could think of. I grabbed the nearest file and smacked him hard on his shoulder, continuously.

"Yeowch.. Ginny you are assaulting your boss for that..."

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, Draco Malfoy. Remember the power of my Bat Bogey Hex." I warned him, even though I was not annoyed.

We were just having a go at one another for the fun of it.

"You owe me an apology for that." He said, wincing at the mere memory.

It was my turn to smirk.

"Hey, you deserved that, okay. You held me too hard. It hurt."

"I was an ass then, okay? I am not, now." He replied, defensively.

"Really? Because I don't seem to see the difference." I muttered quietly, more to myself.

"What did you say?" He demanded his curiosity piqued.

"I said, well at least you admitted that you were an ass."

"I... " He actually did not have a comeback.

"Let me guess, you are... speechless?" I was having the time of my life.

"You are one annoying escort you know that?" He said dryly.

"Okay scratch that. Tell me! Why were you laughing?" I insisted.

"Well..." He simply said, "You got caught up in my charms too."

I was indignant. "I did not!" I protested.

"Well then what was that all about?" He did that eyebrow thing again. _Ugh._

"I thought... that... well... you were... oh you know what! Nevermind." He made me so flustered, it was frustrating!

I thought he was going to kiss me. As if I was going to tell him that.

No way! Never. Nuh-uh!

"I got you, didn't I?" He edged me to admit it.

"Okay, fine. You did." I said, resigned.

He had me right where he wanted me. _Not that I am dirty minded or anything but that sounded kind of wrong. Catch my drift? _

"So anyway, I noticed that you've been working till late recently, little weasel. What's up with that?" He teased me, but somehow, deep down inside, I could hear the concern in his voice.

"Well, my boss is rather ambitious." I retorted back.

"Spill it." He answered as though he had not heard my previous remark.

"Honestly..." I paused, trying to gather my scattered thoughts which were zooming around in my brains like paper caught in a tornado.

"I don't like being at home alone. Everyone is in Bulgaria and they won't be back until the Quidditch season there is over. Something about Viktor Krum's techniques..." I recalled what an envious Ron had told me the last time we had spoken.

"So you stay till late because..." He prompted me.

"Well, by the time I get back home, I'm too tired to think or get creeped out by..." I stopped halfway realising that I was going to tell him what scared me.

"By...?" His voice warm and all sweet like hot cocoa when you were freezing.

"Oh well.. Since you have already seen my house, you know it's no palace. But it's not a dungeon either or a pig sty. There is a ghoul in my attic. A nasty one at that, all he ever does is moan and bangs the pipes at ungodly hours. Since everyone is gone, it's creepy..." I trailed off.

He had a look of innocent interest on his face.

"You have a ghoul in your house? Really?" He looked as though he could not fathom that fact.

I nodded my head.

"Can I see it?" His grey eyes gleamed.

"No way. You let me see your dust bunnies first. And the only reason why you want to see that ghoul is probably because the next time you see Ron, you're going to piss him off. I'm not stupid, Draco. I know you."

"I know you know me. I want to know you though." That was a serious answer.

Wow. What do you say to that?

I reacted as coolly as I could, "Well, Draco, I think we got to know each other enough for today... Don't you want to continue your conference?"

"Conference? Oh yeah... Conference. Send them back in when they are ready." His tone was dismissive.

_Ouch._

I got up to leave. Apparently, we had wiped everything out with that harmless flirting that had been going on.

Harmless, but it shouldn't happen again. Merlin knows how many times my blood raced through my veins.

"Ginny." He stopped me once I was at the door.

"You can go home for today. I want you to have a good rest. Screw the ghoul." He smiled at me looking absolutely dashing and making my heart swell.

_What the hell?_

I smiled weakly, "Bye Draco. Take care of yourself. You should go home too."

He nodded briefly already immersed in his work, "I will, after the conference. And Ginny, its not over yet."

He winked.

I groaned inwardly.

And that was basically what happened between us. Simple and harmless flirting, I may be out of practice, but it sure felt like it to me.

There was something different. Something that turned my emotions upside down, something that scared me more than the ghoul and I didn't know what to think.

That was why I decided to avoid him as much as I could.

That dream was driving me crazy.

And now, I was hiding behind a blasted pillar, trying to sneak right back into my cabin.

Malfoy Empire was weird. You never knew when who was around.

"Hello there."

A familiar voice caused me to jump right out of my thought and drop my thick records file straight to the ground.

A records file that I had arranged, WITHOUT MAGIC.

Paper floated in the air like they did in the movies, everything was in slow motion. There was nothing romantic about this because for one, unlike the usual cliché, I had not fallen straight into his strong arms.

Secondly, I was completely, utterly, mortified as I bent down to pick up my papers.

Thirdly, that asshole who startled the hell out of me and probably reduced my age by five years was none other than Draco Malfoy himself who looked extremely satisfied with himself.

Not that he ever did not on an ordinary day.

_I bet he looked good even on his bad hair day, if he ever had one. _

I swear, if it was dignified for him to shake with glee, he would.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A weasel, papers floating like giant confetti..." He bent down in front of me.

"Excellent. 10 points to Slytherin for your observation, Mr Malfoy." I said dryly, not at all pleased about the fact that my documents were scattered all over the floor.

"I'll hold you to that." He picked up the fallen file and took a look at the name.

"Ahh, just the file I needed." He looked pleased, despite the fact that it was a mess.

He started organizing the papers never taking a look at them for more than a second.

"So... Someone has been a busy bee, lately." He began casually.

"Who?" I wondered, even though I really couldn't care less.

"Hilarious. Why haven't I seen you lately?" He demanded.

I guess he had a right, of course. To wonder, I mean, secretaries are practically supposed to live at their boss house.

"Er... I've been busy." I started squirming uncomfortably under his deep gaze.

"Doing...?"

"Stuff..." Apparently a single word answer was not satisfactory for him.

"What stuff?"

"Stuff that you pay me to do."

I could tell that I was riling him up now. Suddenly he leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially.

"Really? Or have you been avoiding me?" His voice was soft, seductive. It made my insides melt.

"Whaaat...?" I felt blood rushing to my face. I probably looked like a crossover between a carrot and a tomato right now.

"You're scared, because I make you feel alive... I know you...Ginny." He whispered my name, his fresh breath fanning my face as he drew closer.

I froze. He had no idea how right he was.

"Thanks for the file. " He picked up the last bit of papers which was right beside me, his hand accidentally brushing my knee as he reached out for it.

He stood up, smirking.

"Have a good New Year's. See you around."

HE SWATTED MY BUTT WITH THE FILE!

I think I needed a drink.

* * *

**Hello all you beautiful people! I think I got my muse back. And the desire to post tons of other stories as well. :) It's amazing what music does. **

**So anyway, I still haven't had the chance to watch HP, will watch it when the crowd dies though. ;p with my bestie. Definitely more than once! **

**The other night, I lost the password to my wifi connection and couldn't connect with my phone – it was for an event. I cried my eyes out because I was so scared so my bucket overflowed with my emotions. **

**My friend was there for me and her bf totally saved my ass. So guys, this chapter is for you even though you may never see/read it. (Unless I am famous) Thank you to CF & Glenn. :D Stay together always. **

**Okay so do read and review. XXX**

**P.S: I am sick. :(**


	11. Chapter 11 Stranger

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 11. Stranger**

* * *

A drink was what I needed and a drink was what I had.

Of course, it was an ordinary drink though, _no cherry martinis for me for a long time._

Pumpkin juice.

Yep, I hated it. But apparently, that was all that I could find. Plus, I couldn't risk myself getting drunk and waking up in the morning with a hell of a hangover or worse, in someone else's bed.

I pushed the thoughts that were making me run a mile mentally, away.

Did I ever mention that I absolutely cannot do alcohol? Despite my love for cherry martinis which mind you, I only down them when I am depressed or in shock.

Which in my case, you couldn't blame me. Okay, I don't want to think about it.

_Don't think about him. Don't think about him. Don't think about him._

Argh!

I'm failing miserably.

Okay, how about... Pickles.

Harmless, delicious pickles. _Yum_. Plain pickles, pickles in a sandwich, pickles in hamburgers, pizzas... Mmmm... Draco Malfoy biting on a pickle, yum!

Did I just think imagine Draco Malfoy ravishing a pickle with his mouth?

_Awww... man. Why does that thought sound so perverted? _

I banged my head against the wall in frustration, moaning out loud and wincing when I hit a little too hard.

_Why? Oh why? _

"Careful now, Weasel, I don't want you losing whatever's left of your intellect to the wall." Draco Malfoy's voice taunted me like nails scratching against a chalkboard.

Not that his voice was anything like that, thank you very much.

His voice was soft, smooth, low, seductive...

"I'm hallucinating" I spoke aloud in assurance to myself that I wasn't going crazy.

"Really?" An amused voice broke me out of my miserable reverie.

I opened my eyes only to find the object of my misery watching me with a bemused expression.

"I am hallucinating!" I wailed in despair turning back in vain attempts to dig a hole in the pillar with my head, banging my goblet void of pumpkin juice against the wall.

"Weas... Ginny..." He shook me gently, now alarmed.

I tried to look avoid his concerned gaze but failed because he tipped my face towards his with one hand and confiscated my goblet with another.

My eyes welled with tears of annoyance and paranoia. I really couldn't understand what was wrong with me today.

Gripping on to me strongly with one hand, he sniffed the goblet suspiciously.

"Have you been drinking?" He demanded.

I nodded my head, saying 'yes' to his question.

"What?" He interrogated.

"Pumpkin juice." I sniffed, trying my hardest not to let my tears of chagrin fall.

He sighed, exasperatedly.

"That's not what I meant, silly."

"Then?" I looked at him, utterly clueless suddenly aware of our proximity to one another. I could feel the hardness of his muscles against my shoulders.

He shook his head, "Nothing, nevermind. Are you feeling alright though?"

He gave me a once-over as though checking to see if I had gotten hurt or something.

He even raised my hands to check to see if I had grazed myself or anything like that. I stared at him in awe.

I couldn't believe it; Draco just pressed his palm against my forehead to check if I was running a temperature.

"You know what, I think..." He started.

"No." I replied before he could even continue.

If it weren't juvenile for him to roll his eyes, he probably would.

"As I was saying, you look peaky, but vitally, you're fine." He examined me for my reaction.

"What are you a doctor now?" I retorted sarcastically.

I don't think he expected me to be rude. "You know what, take the day off." He said abruptly. A hint of emotion flickered in his silver eyes.

That wasn't very nice of me was it?

As he walked off, I felt my heart piling up with guilt.

"Draco! Wait!" I rushed after him, my goblet clanking down on the floor and echoing throughout the empty corridors.

He stopped, looking at me ambivalently.

"I'm sorry." I breathed out apologetically. "I don't know what's wrong with me today. Really. I just..." I paused, wondering how on earth I should phrase my words without giving him a hint.

"Am not feeling well." He completed my sentence for me.

I nodded my head, relieved. Even though suddenly my throat was dry, _oh no! The waterworks!_

To my surprise, he gave me a tight hug. I froze in his arms for a minute there but finally gave in when I felt the one thing I craved the most coursing through my veins. _Comfort._

My mind was clouded with his signature cologne, his musky yet citrusy scent while my head rested on his chest. It was sort of intimate, yet I liked it.

Draco Malfoy made me feel protected, safe.

And suddenly, as though he was struck by lightning, he pulled away, looking all awkward.

"You looked like you needed a hug." He shrugged, as though that explained everything.

I felt a small smile building on my cheeks even though my mind was screaming for help.

"Thank you, Draco."

He shrugged again, as though it was no big deal. Like he sat there giving people hugs every spare minute of his life.

"You can go home now. It's to be a half day anyway." He said wryly.

I nodded my head. On a normal day, I would have rejected the offer however today was different.

Today, I needed to clear my head desperately.

"Get some rest. You need it." He touched my cheek, his warm skin sending tingles down my spine before walking off.

I felt as though I just got shocked as I stared right after him in dismay.

_How is it that someone so usually infuriating could have such an effect on me?_

Walking down the path that led to home, I tried my best to clear my thoughts with fresh, cold air which practically burnt my nose. I was lost in my own thoughts, my world of daydreams.

_Oh hell no_, I was pondering.

It was dark outside and even though there were colourful fairy lights lit up for Christmas and the New Year's, I could barely see. Even then though, I couldn't be bothered to use my wand.

A sudden movement under the dim light caught my eye, nearly giving me a coronary. I stood rooted to the ground aware that there was another presence. I could feel my hairs standing in fear.

My thoughts were racing as fast as a Ferrari in an F1 race, my heart thumping like drums at a rock concert.

Mentally, I was encouraging myself. "C'mon, Ginny! You're a Gryffindor. Courageous and brave."

A sly voice though, on the other hand reminded me that the Sorting Hat did malfunction when sorting me. I'm part Slytherin.

The little devil popped since the angel wand and before I knew it, I lit my wand and pointed it at the direction from where I noticed movement earlier.

"Lumos"

Guess what? I was just in time to see the black figure retreating stealthily.

"Wwwho is there?" I called out, trying not to show my fear. My teeth chattered and I couldn't tell if it was because I was afraid or I was cold. Somehow though, I got the feeling that it was a mixture of both.

I followed the figure, stomping, not at all silent in the snow. I was crazy, I know.

Internally, I was shooting all kinds of profanities to myself.

"Stop right there!" I know, I know._ I might as well have yelled "Freeze" like on American TV and saved my breath right?_

Oh great, I forgot that I was a witch and I could have shot a stunning spell.

That's what exile did to people I guess.

We reached a dead end in a dark alley, the kind where you could find the regular dumpsters. That figure was all mine.

I was about to stun it but it got me first. It disapparated right before my very eyes with that 'pop' sound.

To say that I was stunned was really ironic since moments earlier I had wanted to stun the very figure.

Finally recovering I whispered in a huff, "Well asshole, I hope you got splinched."

_Yes, that was mean, I know. _

While I was 'shadowing' that figure, _ah, the irony! _I was not aware of the path that I had taken. Now that it had disappeared into the thin, misty air, I had all the time in the world left to discover.

I was in Knockturn Alley, I realised as I walked out of that dark, deserted alley. It was just the kind of place where I'd picture people taking a whiff of crack or dope. _Whatever they called it these days. _

The last time I walked down Knockturn Alley, I had seen something too. Was this mere coincidence?

As it was the eve of New Year's, I wasn't alone on the most notorious street in London. Drunken people lay unconscious on the icy sidewalk. I saw the most utterly creepy looking women whom I presumed were sex workers by their lack of certain clothing despite the frosty weather.

Hell, there was even sexual activity going on, I happened to unfortunately glance at this half-drunk, unshaven practically homeless looking man grope the breasts of this... well... sexually deprived looking woman.

And she looked like she was in the middle of an orgasm. They devoured each other like wolves in the middle of the street. There was constant cheering and yelling, the illegal pubs were in an uproar of chaos. It was illegally lively and the last place that young girls like me should have been at this hour.

Not that it was midnight or anything, it was just dark. Really dark, the fact that it was winter didn't help at all. During winter, the nights were long and the days were short.

It could have been five o'clock in the evening for all I knew. I had forgotten to wear my watch today.

Choosing to remain unnoticed by the creeps of the magical society, I walked quietly towards a pub I vaguely recognised that signified the end of the infamous street.

Boy was I glad that I was reaching the Leaky Cauldron. I shivered against the cold, my breath leaving little puffs of mist in the air.

Out of nowhere something grabbed me and pushed me, my head slamming against the brick wall with a hard impact. I barely had time to react, and all I saw now was stars.

"Where do you think you are going, my sweet?" A greasy voice asked me lazily.

I tried to blink against the bright light, trying to fight against it. I could feel my head spinning with dizziness.

Horror flowed within my veins as soon as I realised that I was helpless against this hobo or whatever he was.

I could feel his smelly, drunken, hot breath on my neck as I struggled aimlessly. I don't know what he wanted and at the rate things were going, I didn't think I would ever find out.

"Get away from me, yyyoou... bbbeeasst." My words slurred, the impact on my head was just too much, earlier.

The last thing I remember was receiving a stinging slap on my face before I fell into unconsciousness.

...

...

I felt sprinkles of what felt like iced water on my face.

"Go away, Fred...I want to sleep. My head hurts." I moaned and curled up against something that was really warm and comfortable.

"Er... You might want to ...erm... open your eyes, lady." A deep accented and completely unfamiliar voice said uncertainly.

"Huh?" My eyes fought against the light groggily. Everything came flashing right back to me as I stared into the brown eyes of a stranger.

Drowsily, I mumbled, "I suppose this is the part where I flutter my eyes and go all, 'My hero' for saving my life, huh?"

I couldn't be bothered to hear what he had to say as my head felt too heavy but as I closed my eyes, I heard laughter.

Knowingly or not, I trusted that I was in good hands.

* * *

**My fellow minions, (I watched Megamind) **

**Ollo! ;)**

**Has anyone realised that my chapters are getting shorter as we get closer to the action?**

**Ginny is a lil' overly dramatic in this chapter. Her emotions are haywire. Trust me; it takes very little just to rile your emotions. She is confused, she doesn't understand why does Draco suddenly appear so utterly, butterly delicious to her and she is blaming it on her loneliness. **

**So guess who is the new stranger who saved our little damsel in distress?**

**So anyway, I finally watched HP7, two weeks ago with my bestfriend. Love it, it was bloody amazing! I teared a lil' when Dobby died. :(**

**So well, this chapter is for Dobby, the free houself. ;) R.I.P **

**Christmas is coming and my holidays start this Friday! :D I can't wait to rejuvenate. :D**

**Happy Holidays everyone! **

**Review please! :D **


	12. Chapter 12 Hero

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 12. Hero**

* * *

Gloomy rays of light depicting the wintery weather shone on my face, disturbing me while I was in the middle of my strangely painful slumber. This has got to be the worst sleep that I've ever had in ages, my head hurt like hell and my back was sore. Even so, my bed felt like heaven, which was why, I felt as though my sleep had been intruded on.

My sheets were silky and heavenly against my bare skin, I sighed in bliss when I felt someone gently massaging the back of my head. Someone with big, calloused yet amazingly warm hands; _Mum,_ I thought.

I turned, wanting her to knead the front of my head when a thought struck me that I should've fallen down from my bed, or at the very least, knocked into my mother.

Suddenly, I was more aware than ever, where I was as memories of the previous night flashed back to me.

"I think she is awake. Get her something to eat." An accented, deep voice ordered.

_French? Italian? _I briefly wondered about the man's accent while pretending to be asleep.

"Yes sir." A squeaky voice answered and then I heard a 'pop' sound enough to make me wince.

It added on to my headache. Whose house was I in? The bed was definitely too comfortable to be mine.

I felt safe, but I couldn't be sure. I didn't trust myself. Last time I felt safe, I ended up in the Chamber of Secrets due to my own stupidity.

I felt movement on the mattress. Observing through my squinted eyes, I realized that he was not facing me, instead he was peering inside what I recognized was my handbag!

Now was my chance, without looking, I grabbed the heaviest object – which turned out to be a lamp on the bedside table and flung it towards him violently.

It missed his head by mere inches as he chose the perfect moment to turn in my direction. The lamp smashed into pieces and glancing at it once told me that it was rather valuable looking.

"What the…." He looked at the lamp then towards me.

He had ash black hair which was rather shaggy in appearance, olive-toned skin with the brightest shade of blue for eyes that I had ever seen on anyone with that skin tone.

If this man wasn't someone whom I anticipated to be a murderer, rapist, serial killer or a remote psychopath, I'd say that he was gorgeous, like runway model gorgeous.

He was tall and his muscles were defined through his half buttoned, white shirt. And he wore black pants with those polished shoes. The kind you'd imagine someone wearing with a tux.

Oh Merlin! _Tux?_ My imagination ran wild thinking of all the movies I watched back in the university days when the killer wore a tuxedo.

I could feel my heart thumping trying to match up pace with the adrenaline rush that I was encountering in my blood stream. My injuries lay forgotten.

Internally, my mind chanted, 'Go! Go! Gryffindor!" – Probably trying to give me some courage to confront this stranger.

"Who the hell are you? Where the fuck am I? Tell me now!" I screeched at him fiercely. My anger was enough to light up an entire house with the sparks.

Truth be told, I was freaking scared, internally.

This was definitely not like the awkward mornings in the morning, post one night stand like they showed in the movies.

"Wait, relax…" Before he could say anything else, I grabbed pillows from the bed, throwing it towards him, buying time for my escape.

I attempted to scramble off the bed just as he pounced on me. He grabbed my arms and pinned me to the bed. My arms were above my head. I struggled, kicking my legs wildly.

At one point, I was about to hit his man jewels when he stopped me with a loud, "NOT THERE!"

He had me stunned for a few seconds and he used it to his advantage, wrapping his legs around mine in a tight hold.

"Let me go!"

"No! Not until you listen to me!"

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"Fuck...!" He covered my mouth with his palm as his one hand gripped both my hands.

If I ever made out of this place alive, I'll make hitting the gym or exercising one of my New Year resolutions.

I stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Listen to me, okay? I am not going to hurt you, I swear. Please. Now, be quiet. I've got an old hag for a neighbor who thinks I have kinky sex whenever I am in town. The last thing I need is her pounding on my door." He pleaded. His eyes were clear with truth like the ocean.

_Remember Ginny, Tom_ _Felton_ **(Muahahahaha! Ignore that line!)**

Remember, Ginny. Tom Marvolo Riddle.

That's it. My mind was made up.

"I'll release you on the count of three. 1…2…3!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHGGGHHH!" I shrieked shrilly like a wailing banshee.

"I told you not to scream." He hushed me with his hand once again.

I attempted to bite his hand. I was right about to get my way with the flesh on his hand and make his see stars like he'd never forget when we heard the door the pounding.

Once again, there was a 'pop' sound and a house elf appeared.

"Master…. at… door." That's all I caught. I had to give this house elf credit; all I caught were those words.

And from my experience, or the serious lack of in this case, I thought house elves were rather loud creatures.

Maybe I had them stereotyped mentally, thanks to Dobby; _bless his free soul_ and Kreacher.

"I'll get the door, Gilly." He said, sighing in defeat and the house elf apparated, making my stomach churn.

"Relax, okay? Like I said, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to answer the door and Gilly will see to your needs. Please?" He said ever so convincingly.

Studying his features, I realized that he looked extremely familiar but somehow my headache wasn't allowing me to recall.

He practically sprinted to the door, in a flash, he was gone and the door banged behind him.

I stared, dumbfounded.

* * *

**What happened outside**

Draco banged his best friend's door impatiently. "Open up, Zabini! I know you're in there!"

It was the first day of the New Year's and he was standing outside of his pal's house for the last couple of minutes pounding at it like an insane person. Not at all his style.

The reason was simply because, they had plans to celebrate New Year's last night with a couple of other mates at a pub. Blaise was in town after covering the fashion season in Italy. He had finally put a foot down against attending all those high-society 'I-am-single-so-are-you' parties.

When he did not turn up, Draco figured that, being the bad boy Casanova he usually was, Blaise had found a woman and apparently hooked up with her at his place, celebrating a sensual New Year.

Draco was pissed. And right now, the fact that Blaise was taking forever to answer the door proved his theory to be correct.

Blaise was probably getting dressed. Knowing him, he'd probably try to cover up by getting his latest hook up to climb out of his window or something. Draco thought grimly. That's what he did when Mother came over.

Speak of the Devil, the door to Blaise's apartment whipped open, "Hello, brother from another mother!" Blaise exclaimed a little too cheerfully for his own good.

Draco scrutinized his best friend, guilty.

He was breathing heavily, as though he had just ran a couple of miles. He was disheveled.

"Who is she, this time?" Draco narrowed his eyes towards the other man.

Blaise visibly gulped.

"No one, mate. I swear." He raised his hands up.

Something was amiss, Draco realized. "Care to tell me where you were last night."

"Erm…" Blaise scratched his black hair so obviously thinking of an excuse.

Of course we knew that Slytherins in general were cunning and sly and making up excuses was just a snap of a finger for them however, in this case, Blaise and Draco were always genuine.

The both of them knew each other's true personalities. Their life, their pain, everything was the same. Hence, they were best friends.

"Really, Blaise?" Draco shook his head, exasperated. He wasn't desperate for information or anything like that.

He took a look around Blaise's apartment, been a while since he last came here. Typical bachelor's pad.

"Mother would want you to stay with us." He said calmly.

Blaise nodded his head, relieved that Draco couldn't really care less about his active sex life.

"I can't keep staying with the both of you can, I? Besides, Mama Zabini wouldn't like that." He replied wryly, perhaps at the thought of his own mother.

Draco sat down, displaying his typically casual demeanor, if he had anything to say, he sure as hell did not show it.

He thrummed his fingers on the leather armchair, relaxed.

"Sooooo…." He raised his eyebrows.

Blaise shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"Italy was great, huh?"

"Fab, mate. One can only party so much though. Mama was asking me why you weren't there though. Said she found someone to introduce to you." He snickered at the last bit.

Despite the casual conversation, Draco could tell that Blaise was rather edgy.

"Something bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh… No. I'm cool."

There was a loud bang and Blaise jumped. The noise was all it took to get Draco to spring into action.

Cautiously, he stood up and walked quietly towards the locked room.

Someone was banging desperately on the door.

"…Let me out!" A girl's muffled voice sounded.

He looked at Blaise as he took out his wand from his pocket. "Nothing, huh? Alohomora!"

* * *

**Ginny's POV**

Merlin's pant! He just left me hangin'!

I needed to get out of here. He may not have been dangerous but what if it was some kind of pimp at the door? What if he was going to earn galleons by selling me to that pimp who'd eventually export me to some whorehouse in China?

Or make me a showgirl at some strip house in Vegas? My blood ran cold at the thoughts that my mind was framing.

I examined my clothes. I was wearing... boxers? And an old black Hogwarts t-shirt with the Slytherin house logo on it.

_Why did this look so familiar?_

I looked around for ways to escape and sadly, there were none. Unless if I wanted to die of hypothermia.

That's it then, I decided. I'll just have to take my chances.

I tried to open the shutters but I couldn't. My wand was nowhere to be found.

The last option was to bang at the door. My heart held a little hope that maybe, just maybe, my hero would be standing out there.

That was some romantic thought wasn't it?

Oh what the hell.

I banged my fists really hard on the door, "I don't give a fuck about who you are or whether you are going to hurt me or not. Let me out!" I screamed till I could scream no more.

My voice was hoarse. I was parched from all the constant hollering.

I turned and opened the chest drawers hoping to find something that would help me out. Everything that was distinctively fragile or heavy laid on the floor in a broken mess.

Candelabras, lamps, figurines, a trophy.

I heard the noise of the door opening. Grabbing the first thing I saw, which happened to be a vase, I threw it like a Quaffle.

I made a run for it, colliding with the person who opened the door. I lost my balance and closed my eyes, braising myself for the fall that apparently never came.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist. My head was buried in freshly scented robes that were definitely expensive. I was overwhelmed by this musky yet citrusy cologne scent, a scent that was all too familiar.

"Ginny?" He sounded coolly surprised.

_Draco._

I opened my eyes only to meet grey depths steadying me. He looked at me and then towards the other man, the one whom I threw stuff at earlier.

"Zabini, what the fuck is my secretary doing in your apartment? Most importantly, in your bedroom?"

_Zabini? _I could literally see the puzzle solving in my head which felt heavy at the moment.

Blaise Zabini. The hot Latino Slytherin that my best friend used to have eyes for!

"Actually, mate. This is the guest room. You sleep here, remember? Sometimes." Blaise pointed out.

"That isn't really the point now, is it? I want to know what the hell she is doing here." He demanded.

I was still in his arms, and his grip on me was tighter than ever. I was swarmed by that secure feeling again.

He was warm and comforting. I felt a million times better immediately, although my back hurt even more.

I think, it was bruised.

"Draco….you're hurting me." I managed, weakly, trying to interrupt their conversation.

I don't think he heard it though because his protective grip never loosened. I could till with the pain though, it wasn't excruciating, it was just really uncomfortable. Like a dull ache sort of thing.

Blaise was recounting his tale of how I ended up at his place.

"On the way to meeting you all at…. Stopped at Knockturn Alley to get… Passed a deserted alley, there was a man attacking…."

I shivered in Draco's arms, finally recalling every little detail. He held me tighter, in comfort.

"Ginny, you walked through Knockturn Alley?" His voice was quiet, yet I could feel every bit of fury behind it.

Uncertain of what to say, I nodded my head, confirming an answer to his question. I couldn't possibly tell him about the figure could I?

"Do you realize that the last thing that you should be doing is walking down the most notorious street in London? That is an impeccably foolish deed that you committed."

I know I should have felt bad but deep down inside, I was rejoicing. He cared.

I don't know why, but that thought made me happy. It did.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked, dryly, shaking me out of the daze that I had been in.

"I was just thinking about how, I am safe now." I looked up at him again.

"You have me to thank for that." Blaise added in from the corner.

I looked at him from Draco's arms.

"Thank you, Zabini. And I'm sorry for this." I apologized sheepishly feeling foolish. At the same time, I felt gratitude. If it weren't for him, the whole China thing might just come true.

"My, aren't you one feisty woman." He smirked at me, seductively.

I rolled my eyes to myself. "Blame it on the imagination." I shook my head pitifully, clutching it when it hurt.

"Are you alright?" Draco immediately brought me to the messed up bed.

"I feel like my head just got attempted to split into two parts like cantaloupe or watermelon." He chuckled at this.

"I'll get you something for the head. You know, all this while, you could've saved yourself some hurt by lying there like a good girl." Blaise shook his head, tsk-ing.

"Shut up, Blaise." Draco said, playfully, defending me.

He helped me settle on the bed, after muttering some charms to neaten it again.

"This room is a cluttered mess!" He exclaimed. –"I think you broke some of Blaise's prized possessions." He studied the smashed pieces on the ground.

My heart sank. Merlin knew how many months of salary would I have to give away just to pay him back. Maybe a lifetime.

"On second thoughts, I highly doubt that Blaise cares about any of these things. You just gave him a reason to add more bachelor type stuff here."

"Really?" I confirmed weakly.

"Yeah, in fact, I might just hang up my collection of brooms in here." Blaise entered the room with his house elf who immediately cleared everything.

"What is Gilly doing here?" Draco looked at Blaise.

"Well…" He defended himself, "Aunt Narcissa said that I could borrow her anytime even though I wasn't living within the manor."

Draco shrugged, not really caring.

Meanwhile, Blaise focused his attention on me. I was lying down comfortably.

"There you go, drink some of this. It's a Hangover Potion. It cures the worst of headaches and migraines. Yours will be gone. Trust me." He winked. – "I'm practically a professional on this."

Wordlessly, I sipped at the nasty potion. Usually, for headaches, I relied on muggle medicines.

"What do you think this is?" Draco raised his eyebrows, - "Butterbeer? Drink it up at one go."

I pinched my nose, not wanting to smell the pungent mixture of disgusting ingredients.

I may not be brilliant at Potions but I paid enough attention to know what went in there and mind you, it ain't pretty.

I gasped at its taste once I was done.

"It's nasty right?" Blaise grinned. I bet he was probably thinking of karma.

Continuing he said, "I don't think I know your name but I know you from somewhere. I've been meaning to ask you this."

"Ginny Weasley." I refreshed his memory.

"Weasel Junior?" He looked questioningly at Draco who nodded his head briefly.

I was outraged. "You Slytherins had such awful names for us!"

"Not like you noble Gryffindors didn't have any for us. I forgot what Potter called Snape." Draco looked at Blaise who shook with laughter.

"Greasy-haired git." I smiled a little at the sudden nostalgia.

"Professor Snape has my respect." I stated. It was true. As intimidating as he was, he had truly earned my respect in so many ways.

"Your names were nasty though. You called Hermione a …." I defended.

Both of them visibly shrugged, they had nothing to say about that.

Finally Draco looked me in the eye and said firmly, "Let bygones be bygones."

I felt my heart flutter a little at that. It was as though he was trying to tell me something else. _Or maybe, I was imagining things. _

'Pop' The house elf appeared, startling me. The men looked composed, as though they were used to this kind of incessant and sudden popping.

"I brought madam something to eat, young master." The house elf squeaked, looking at me apprehensively. She served it on the empty – _thanks to me_, bedside table.

Draco immediately helped me up, positioning me such that my head was resting on the cushioned headboard of the bed.

I flinched as there was too much pressure being applied on my back.

"Are you alright?" He noticed me trying to settle myself.

"My back hurts." I muttered, concentrating.

"You hurt your back in Knockturn Alley as well, right?" Blaise asked me, worriedly.

I think he was afraid that he might have caused me physical harm during our 'fight' earlier.

I nodded my head, biting my lip because suddenly, it hurt like hell.

"Let me see." Blaise froze just as I glared at him.

If he wanted to examine my bruises, he'll have to take my shirt off. And no, I wasn't wearing a bra.

Yeah, I was the Queen of Modesty, I know.

There was a silent exchange between the men before Draco turned and looked at me.

"Can I check your bruises then?" His tone was calm, collected, comforting even. His eyes on the other hand were hypnotic, persuasive.

"Er…." What the hell do I tell my boss?

"Just move, Ginny." He insisted.

"You know what, I think I am going to back down a little here. I'll be outside. If you guys need anything…." He paused.

"We'll ask Gilly." Draco assured him as he laughed and walked out of the room.

He turned, focusing his attention to me. Holding my arm, he lifted me up gently. Skin on skin, I'd never felt like how I was currently feeling before. I hate to put it this way, but Draco against me felt like a science experiment. An electric one, it was as though we caused sparks.

He definitely realized this because he moved away.

I sat up now, feeling really uncomfortable. I wasn't looking at Draco so I didn't know how he reacted.

He breathed. "That's mine."

I had no idea what he was talking about so I turned to look at him, puzzled.

"You are wearing my shirt." He inched me such that I could see my back from the mirror.

Mind you, the view was sexy, if you liked the images on the cover of cheesy historical romances. A thick blanket protecting my modesty, the black t-shirt was partially lifted.

I could see the words, 'MALFOY 08' in bold on the shirt along with a large Slytherin logo. This was some Quidditch jersey of some sort.

I didn't quite know how to react. However, Draco on the other hand was quite taken with it. The shirt, I mean.

"I'm sorry…." I muttered, embarrassed. "I'll take it off."

"Huh?" Draco looked up, distracted. "Take what off?"

Finally, understanding dawned upon him. "Oh no, that's not necessary. I was just remembering the good old Hogwarts days. Besides, what will you wear?" He smirked as he eyed me.

I flushed crimson; I could feel my cheeks burning. It felt right as though he had x-ray vision. He cleared his throat, on a more serious note.

"It looks good on you, Ginny." He paused, adding after a moment. "My shirt."

I felt my heart beat rising. I smiled lightly showing my way of thanks to his … compliment.

Gently, he lifted my shirt higher, his cool breath on my back made me shiver. He traced his finger unintentionally seductive; I frowned when he hit a sore spot.

"That hurt a lot, didn't it?" He asked, nonchalantly as though he was asking about the weather.

I nodded my head, silent.

He casted a healing charm and opened an untouched drawer taking something that looked like a balm.

"This will make it hurt less. The healing charm is a little slow; I haven't advanced in my First Aid skills." He said, apologetically yet light.

I held out my hand wanting him to give me the balm. Instead, I was rewarded with a very incredulous look.

"Do you really think that I'm going to let you apply this on your own?" He questioned me sharply.

I bit my lip, skeptical.

If it was dignified enough for a Malfoy to roll his eyes, I bet my half – empty Gringotts account that he would.

"Honestly, Weasley, do you really think that I'm about to pounce on you and rape you?" He raised a blonde eyebrow.

"On second thoughts, don't answer that question. I don't want to know what goes on in that mind of yours."

"You called me Weasley." I blurted out, not thinking.

"Well, I can't really call you Ginny if I am agitated can I? Something about getting the point across." He gave his infamous smirk at the last line.

Once again, he rendered me speechless. Someday, the battle will turn. Or however that saying goes….

I couldn't tell if it was the little balm that was working, but seriously, his hands worked like magic. I closed my eyes and bit my lip from moaning.

"Careful, Weasley, any harder and you'll be bleeding." He whispered seductively.

I opened my eyes to that and turned to face him.

"Like I said, something about getting the point across. " He wore a very smug look.

If I didn't think he was sexy, I swear, I'd have knocked that smug look off his face in no time.

That's it! I let out a loud gasp.

"Did I hurt you?" He sounded really concerned.

I shook my head, mumbling something unintelligible.

An epiphany hit me with the force of a mountain. Or maybe, I was just being my overly dramatic self.

It wasn't really an epiphany. More like a realization or me finally acknowledging something that I knew within my sub-conscious mind.

I had a crush on my boss.

There. There you go; I read somewhere that it gets easier to accept when you say it out.

I have a crush on my boss.

I have a crush on my boss.

I have a crush on my boss.

"I have a crush on my boss." I didn't realize that I had said it aloud until I heard it myself.

"For the record, no, I am trying not to crush you." Draco said, smiling wryly.

I thanked all divine powers which prevented Draco Malfoy, sexy as he was, from having supersonic hearing.

I was silent, just watching his hands move around me from the mirror. And watching him, even though he didn't realize it, on my part, the air was getting steamy.

We were interrupted by none other than Blaise himself.

"Everything okay?" He peered inside from the doorway.

…

…

I spent the entire morning and let's say lunch at Blaise's apartment. By the end of it, Blaise and I were chummy. _Who knew Slytherins were so nice?_

We were recalling Hogwarts days together and turns out, the part of the sorting hat going malfunctioning on my head apparently never went unnoticed.

Draco noticed it. I felt a little bubble of happiness inside when I realized that he had noticed me in Hogwarts.

The infamous Bat Bogey Hex. He never forgot that too.

"You held me too hard, it was payback." I laughed mischievously alongside Blaise while I explained.

Suddenly noticing the time from the clock on the mantelpiece, I decided that it was time to go home.

"I'll escort you, Ginny." Draco added firmly as I got up to leave. I knew then that it was pointless protesting.

"Suit yourself." I shrugged.

"See you next time, Blaise." I patted his shoulder. He was such a nice guy; it was surprising how much you could know about someone in just a couple of hours.

If my best friend knew I was talking to Blaise Zabini, she would have died and gone to heaven.

I was still wearing Draco's clothes, by the way. My clothes were torn and dirtied. Draco, I just noticed had dressed down. He was wearing a plain white tee which was v-necked and exposed his bare chest and khakis, completely dressed down and casual. He wasn't muscular by all means, but he wasn't lacking in that department either.

"You know…" I commented as we exited, "I don't think I've ever seen you dressed so casually."

"Get used to it." He answered me brusquely. We stopped short in the middle of the path.

"Now, madam, what is your preferred mode of transportation?" He gestured grandly.

I gulped, "What are my choices?"

"The one and only." His eyes gleamed with interest at my reaction.

"You're escorting me home, right?" I confirmed. He nodded his head, smirking.

"Whatever you say then." I let him make the decisions.

He whisked me off by the elbow to a more deserted corner down the street.

I barely realized that we had performed side-along apparition until I noticed us walking towards my house.

"Er… Wow. That was fast." I mentioned awkwardly.

"You think?" He replied, somewhat pleasant.

The mid-afternoon air was piercingly cold even though I was bundled up in my cloak. The only thing that survived from last night apart from my wand which Blaise had so kindly returned to me.

Finally, we reached my doorstep. Shyly, I asked him,

"Draco, do you want to come inside?" He declined the offer. I was about to bid him adieu when he surprised me with a really random question.

"Is the offer still open?" He sounded somewhat interested.

"Yeah..." I nodded my head wondering what he was up to.

"Great." He was rather excited. I was suspicious.

"What's up?" I asked, doubtfully.

"The sky-" He gave me 'The Look' and answered sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes because obviously it was my kind of thing to do. "Seriously, Draco…"

He sighed in defeat knowing that I was not going to let him in if he didn't tell me what was on his mind.

"Remember how you mentioned once….." My heart fluttered as he approached the topic with a playful type of caution.

"Yes..?" I breathed.

"That there is an annoying ghoul in your house? I want to see it." He finished it so fast, I wasn't sure if I caught it right.

I stared at him, dumbfounded for a few seconds under the icy weather.

"You…want to see… that ghoul?" I asked weakly.

He nodded his head like an enthusiastic child. I processed that request for a few seconds when I noticed him fighting a smile.

"DRACO MALFOY! YOU ANNOYING PRAT! GET OUT FROM HERE NOW!" He burst into gleeful laughter as I smacked him and pushed him out of my porch.

"GET LOST YOU IDIOT!" I wasn't angry, I was laughing along but smacking him allowed me to touch him, something I had been dying to do for ages.

"Awww… C'mon. I'll show you mine if you show me yours." He offered.

I gave him a weird look, "Do you have any idea how wrong that sounded, Mr. Malfoy?" I prodded a finger on his bare chest feeling the warmth it emitted.

He laughed again making my heart swell like a balloon. It was good to see him light, carefree almost even though it was at my expense.

Draco stopped laughing and looked at me.

"I wanted to ask you something." He said abruptly interrupting my inner drooling session.

"Shoot." He motioned to the ground and I smacked him once again on his shoulder.

"Seriously –"He insisted. "You're afraid of apparating aren't you?"

I bit my lip and realized that without wanting to; I had just confirmed his doubts. I saw it in his eyes.

He patted my shoulder reassuringly, "It's okay, everybody has their own set of fears. I have mine too. "

"Really?" I whispered trying to sound alluring, "Well, maybe someday you'll just have to share them with me."

"Someday?" He raised his eyebrows querying, flirtatiously.

"Definitely not today." I said, laughingly, pushing him away once again.

"Okay. Okay." He raised his hands up, -"I'm going. I'm going."

He moved backwards, slowly as I watched him.

"Go Draco!" I insisted, smiling.

I followed him, knowing that he'll prolong his departure more.

"So you're really not letting me see the ghoul are you?" He tried to persuade me.

"I hate to be a killjoy, but… no." His display of enthusiasm for the ghoul was pretty amusing.

"Alright." Just as I assumed that he was about to apparate, he pulled me close to him.

We were merely inches away from each other. Any closer and he'd kiss me. He leaned in his fresh breath fanning my face. His eyes were darker than ever, like a storm cloud or maybe it was because of the distance.

"Happy New Year, Ginny." He kissed my cheek softly, caressing my cheek

My eyes grew wide. How many times would my speech remain absent because of this man? I opened my mouth to reply but, he was gone!

Hell, I didn't even wish him; neither did I realize that he was disappeared.

I clapped my cheek, still tingling from his touch. It may have been a friendly gesture but it felt romantic. I didn't know what to think anymore. Draco was messing with my head.

_I think I died and went to heaven._

* * *

**For all those who figured that the stranger was Blaise Zabini, this chapter is for you. And nope, there is not going to be a love triangle or any other shapes for that matter. Another word for salve is also balm, by the way. Did anyone notice how Blaise greeted Draco? Muahahaha! Oh and I'm way passed the usual length by the way! **

**Ain't Draco a sweetheart? So anyway, the Weasley's are coming home soon. Any ideas on how you want them to find out, a specific Weasley? Do share your ideas! It's an important part of the story, people. The kiss comes right after that! Yes, you read that right, the kiss is coming soon! :) Who is glad that Ginny finally realised that she likes Draco? :D**

**Wishing y'all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Do share your resolutions in your reviews. :)**

**Happy belated birthday to Veronica21! I tried to upload earlier, really, I did. I hope you like it though. X **

**So, how about a Christmas present, guys? Leave me a review and make my day. Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR ONCE AGAIN, LOVELIES! XOXOXOXO **


	13. Chapter 13 Heart on Your Sleeve

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 13. Heart on Your Sleeve**

* * *

_Yuck! _I thought disgustedly as I attempted to sip tea delicately. It was awful.

Bad tea, horrendous company. I groaned miserably to myself. I'd rather die then to sit here with the snobs of the society. Or go exploring, basically do something worthwhile.

Since I had nothing exceptional to do except listen to snobbish aristocratic women gossip about their offspring, I thought about how my week had been.

It's amazing how much time flies before you even realized, it had been roughly two and a half months since I started working for Draco.

Seemed just like yesterday where he couldn't stand me and the feeling was mutual, I mused. And now it was a different story altogether.

"So, Narcissa…." Mrs Greengrass, my least favorite person in the little gathering that we were having, enquired.

"-What has Draco been up to these days?" _Grrr… _I growled inwardly, that's not the worst part, today her daughters were with her. Daphne and Astoria, respectively in order of age, I didn't know them and neither did I actually make an effort to which was something that Narcissa had frowned upon.

They were the only two other girls who were around my age group in this gathering. I was forced to sit here since Draco was in a meeting. Narcissa was not feeling good so he beckoned me to stay with her. Here I was doing my job, well, so called job.

She wanted me to chat with them, but in this case, I was my own boss. No freaking way am I going to swallow my pride and talk to those two! I huffed.

Both of them perked up interestedly, I noticed upon hearing Draco's name. It was so obvious that the three of us were bored to death, however the women were oblivious.

They were busy flaunting their pink diamond necklace and authentic ….. Whatever the fuck it was. My head throbbed thinking about the amount of galleons they blew on ugly jewellery.

Honestly, I wouldn't have paid a sickle for any of that nonsense. Not that I wasn't an accessories person, I loved those things, I adored unique ones though.

For example, I was most likely to be found strutting down the street wearing a metal snake bracelet, or a lion one to sound more like a Gryffindor for that matter.

I stared at the designs of my tea cup, I wasn't aristocratically educated enough to tell what material it was made of but this was definitely some fine china.

There were pink rose patterns and gold trimmings on the cup. It was pretty. This was my way of tuning them out. I had enough.

Today, Narcissa was hosting the party at the Malfoy Manor and I couldn't even explore. I had never been here before, and if I had, I probably didn't recall it at all.

One thing was for sure, the manor was huge. My entire family could live in it and we'd all get lost. I didn't understand how could two people live in a place the freaking size of a castle?

I bet they even had their own Chamber of Secrets in there. I flinched at that thought.

Letting my thoughts run away was definitely a bad idea for I was reminded of how caged I was as a person.

I decided to pay attention, it was less depressing. At least, that was what I thought.

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask Ginny here." Narcissa laughed daintily answering Mrs. Greengrass enquiry.

She on the other hand looked like she would rather swallow a basket of lemons than to ask me directly. I kind of liked that idea actually; it'd be nice to watch that.

I sadistically added a list of things I'd love to watch her eat. That'll teach her for looking down on me.

_Things I want Greengrass to eat_

_My shoe_

_Wasabi_

_Lemons_

_Limes_

_Garlic_

_Chilli_

_Jalapeno_

_Olives_

I couldn't think of anymore food items that would cause her tongue to shrivel. Hmm, maybe I should make her eat that candy that burnt a hole in Ron's tongue once.

Or stop at my brothers joke shop and see if they had anything I could send her.

_So much of hatred for one woman? _

"Actually, Draco is currently busy with meetings and conferences right now. He's been really busy with work, as usual. You know how he is a workaholic?" I added airily as Narcissa nodded her head. I smiled sweetly at Mrs. Greengrass feeling victorious.

"Yes, I do wish he'd take some time off and maybe socialize a little." Narcissa sighed, "-It wouldn't kill him to get married. I do wish he'd find a wife soon enough. He is not getting any younger."

The women started discussing marriages and latest debutantes. I took that as my cue to tune out and ponder over things that Narcissa had just said.

_Seriously woman, no offence, but he is twenty three!_

She sounded just like my mother who thought that I should be dating someone. In fact, remember that night when I had been unconscious in Blaise's house, Mum popped in by the floo.

When she realized that I was not at home, she owled me. I kept the letter in my personal folder of unimportant junk that I used to pass time when I was agitated or bored.

Flipping it open,

_Dearest Ginny, _

_How is my girl doing? I called earlier but you were not home. At that hour? That is very late for you young lady. It is not an excuse. Unless, I hope that you were out with a fine, charming young man whom you have found to be suitable to your tastes. (This is the part where my eyes widened)_

_I do hope that you were only at dinner though, and nothing ELSE. Your brothers were rather worried, Ron wanted to come back immediately but I stopped him. Maybe you were with Harry, he should probably be aware of your whereabouts, no? _

_Anyway dear, I do hope that you have found someone. No funny business. Love you dearest, and please eat the fudge and share it with Harry. _

_Love, _

_Mum_

_P.S: Everyone else sends their love. _

I've got a couple of things to say about the letter I just read. Mum is barking mad, I miss her, truly I do but she is absolutely obsessed with getting me married and probably pregnant by the time I am twenty three. It's like her next mission in life or something.

Secondly, Harry? What is she talking about? Is she still obsessed with him becoming her son-in-law because seriously, Harry and I are not fated?

That is just crazy. The thought is repulsive.

No doubt back in the day, I used to have my schoolgirl crush on him and we actually dated before I got exiled but after that I realized that I was infatuated.

It's like having a crush on a movie star, I looked at Harry more as a conquest as odd as that sounds. No doubt, we shared sweet kisses.

Come to think of it, it's been a while since I've been snogged thoroughly.

"Oh, Narcissa, dear…."Mrs. Greengrass tittered happily about having invitations to a new hip club opening tickets and wanted Draco to attend it with Narcissa.

I rolled my eyes to myself. Thanks to her, I could not even enjoy the moment of pretending to be posh.

Well, not that I could anyway, reason being, I was at work. Secondly, I was inappropriately attired for such a function in my jeans, velvet boots and cobalt blue sweater. Lastly, this was the last place I actually wanted to be.

The venue was great; it was like a glass house made to look like a garden with a small pond and delicate flowers like roses, daisies, tulips. You could see the snow falling and the gloomy sky.

I bit a scone thoughtlessly, a slight nudge made me realize that Narcissa wanted me to inform Mrs. Greengrass if Draco was available on the day of the opening or not.

I ran through his schedule in my head, I had it memorized as though it was study notes or something. Speaking of notes, I should probably start looking for a secretary for Narcissa.

"As of now, Draco is available on that date, until further notice. However, personal appointments are to be made directly with him. I do not control his personal schedule." I replied coolly eyeing the girls.

Astoria looked like I had just given her the best news of her life.

"Leave it to me then…" She clapped her hands excitedly and stopped realizing that it was undignified for a woman of that social status to behave in that manner.

-"I shall see to inviting him personally." She a dreamy look on her face as Narcissa smiled at her faintly.

Once again, I rolled my eyes.

"If I may interrupt, ladies…." I heard a familiar sexy drawl that made my heart beat increase. I turned to look and there I saw my current infatuation standing like a dream before me.

He was wearing a black polo cashmere sweater and dark jeans with Italian shoes. Delicious. He just needed a jacket to complete his look. His platinum blonde hair was gelled to perfection, he looked like a cold model. The kind you would never imagine could actually smile in reality.

"-On the contrary, my secretary here…." He gestured towards me before carrying on…"- as of now, has all rights to my personal schedule."

Everyone gasped, myself included. Although mine was more of a surprised one, I never had to handle his personal appointments before.

I tried once and received a death glare. _Remember Pansy Parkinson?_

The women on the other hand, Narcissa included gasped as though he had just committed blasphemy or confessed to murder.

He narrowed his grey eyes upon receiving such negative reactions. "Is there a problem?" He demanded, cool as a cucumber.

"Of course dear…." Narcissa started lovingly, "Your personal time is yours, why do you need someone else to manage it for you. Besides darling, it's not like you actually have any time for yourself or me." She sniffed dramatically at that part.

"I think Ginny here…." They gasped again, Astoria's and her mother's were especially the loudest when they realized that Draco and I were on a first name basis. This was actually kind of amusing, I bit back a smile.

He continued as though nothing had happened, "-is more than competent enough to handle my personal affairs. I plan to make time for myself this year, Mother. And for you as well."

This was one of those moments where you just felt like going, 'Awww…'

He bent down and kissed his mother's cheek.

While that moment was touching, I was immersed in my mini triumph. Finally I shut the Greengrass's mouths. I felt like doing a happy dance but that might make him retract back his offer.

"Now, if you all will excuse me, I'd like to steal my secretary back." He acknowledged my presence with a mischievous wink. My jaw dropped open as he smirked.

I looked at Narcissa respectfully asking her for permission, she nodded her head brusquely. The entire room was in pin drop silence.

Draco leaned down and whispered something in her ear which her expression considerably lit up to. "That's wonderful, I'll order to kitchens to prepare his favorites immediately."

I followed him, relieved to be rid from that excruciatingly long prattle by gossiping woman.

"You know, for someone of the female gender, you look awfully relieved to be out of that place. I'd have thought otherwise." Draco commented as we walked along a corridor of the Malfoy Manor.

"Are you joking?" I demanded. "Please, they gossip about every little thing. It's horrible." I shuddered.

-"Can we please find a new secretary for your mother?" I pretty much begged him.

He looked at me, surprised showing in his eyes.

"I thought you were joking. You mean you don't enjoy such gatherings?" He emphasized a little on the gathering part.

I shrugged, "I do, but with my friends. We don't gossip like old women and neither do we snack on that stuff."

He paused, thinking as we walked, I seized the opportunity to take a look at my surroundings. There were paintings of picturesque views, fruit bowls, and beautiful people with platinum blonde hair. His ancestors, probably, I thought to myself.

"Hey…Has anyone ever told you that your house looks like a museum?" I asked conversationally in awe of the antiques as we walked.

He chuckled lightly, "Has anyone ever told you that you are rare?"

"I'm one of a kind, Draco. I think you'll find that I am not like other girls." I raised my eyebrows as though daring him to comment on it.

"I'm starting to realize that." He pointed his wand at a heavy wooden door and walked inside.

I wondered if I should follow him inside but then decided to take my chances.

The room strangely reminded me of Ollivander's with its bookshelves loaded with thick books and a wooden ladder.

"Wow…" I breathed in amazement, -"This place would be like heaven for Hermione."

I thought of her fondly. She was after all one of my closest friends and a dear sister even though we never spent much time together.

"Granger?" He absentmindedly said as he looked at something on the desk.

"I presume this is your office at home?"

"Kind of…" I looked around trying to understand some of the books which looked like they had ancient texts.

"Make yourself comfortable." He told me as he read through something.

Not wanting to impose much, I took a look at the books and my eyes widened in shock.

There was an entire bookshelf dedicated to the Dark Arts. _Merlin!_

"Those were my father's. Most of these are from his collection. "He explained, clearly done with whatever he had wanted to do.

"Explains a lot." I nodded my head briefly moving on to the other shelves.

However, my curiosity got the best of me. "Have you read them?"

"Sure, a couple of times." He answered me truthfully.

I didn't judge him for that, it made sense didn't it? When you were the son of a death eater, wouldn't you be expected to read such books?

"Wow, are these on medicinal herbs?" I pointed towards another shelf.

He nodded his head, "My father was a lover of books that equipped him with powerful knowledge. That shelf over there…." He pointed to his left.

"That one is on Potions. The other one…." He faltered, "-Never mind… it's not that important is it?"

"What is it?" I demanded, wanting to know. If I had my way, I'd march over to the bookshelf and picked up a book myself but then again, this was not my house.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"A cat has nine lives."

"How many lives has this cat used up?"

"Draco, will you just shut up and tell me already?"

"Fine, but you asked for it!"

"Fine…!"

"Fine…!"

"Good…!"

"Good…!"

He handed me a thick volume of something that practically ancient. I was half-afraid that the book would crumble into pieces in my hands. Carefully, I opened a random page and stared down at a picture, trying to decipher it.

My eyes widened, "DRACO MALFOY! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" I screeched in shock, slamming the book shut not caring whether it would crumble to its particles of matter.

It was as though my cheeks were on fire. I bet my face was as red as my hair! He started laughing at my expression.

"It's not funny!" I huffed, "You shouldn't have shown that to me. I am a girl."

"You asked for it." He laughed harder. While it was pleasant to see him laugh, I'd rather it didn't happen at my expense.

I felt a sense of déjà vu building up as I looked at him. I pouted, folding my arms across my chess and stared straight ahead in embarrassment.

"You could have refrained from showing that to me."

"You think I didn't try?" His reply was sarcastic.

"Ugh…." I groaned, covering my face with my hands. This was so embarrassing.

"Okay, let's go from here. I am done." I grabbed his hand and basically used my pathetic strength to drag him out.

I failed though, he barely moved an inch. He was still collapsed in laughter at my misery.

"Sly, sadistic Slytherins." I muttered under my breath, glaring at him, my hands on my hips.

He stopped laughing, "Hey, you have to admit it that was kind of funny."

A smile twitched at my lips, I smiled a little "It was, but that's it. No more laughing. And it stays in this room. Promise…?"

I looked at him hopefully, holding my hand out. He took it, smiling slightly and looked me in the eye with complete solemnity burning like liquid mercury.

"I promise…."

My breath hitched in my throat as I gaped at him.

"Ginny, remember? Kama sutra: The Art of Lovemaking." He smirked and proceeded to walk out of the room.

I gasped in indignance, my face flushing, "You….! You jackass!" I ran after him as his laughter rang out through the manor.

We walked towards this grand, gigantic floo gate, kind of like the ones at Malfoy Empire but before not before meeting someone.

"Hey…. Brother from another mother! And Ginny!" Blaise grinned grandly, sitting lazily on one of the sofas there.

"Blaise. Mate, you're early." Draco greeted him. I waved shyly remembering our first and last encounter cringing mentally.

_Why is it that I always topped my list of embarrassing moments with something every other week? _

If I reflected back on such moments in my life, let me tell you, a book wouldn't cover it. I'd probably have to write a sequel or something.

I shot a warning look towards Draco making sure he did not leave any clues about our encounter in his private office.

That sounds awfully wrong doesn't it? It sounds as though Draco and I shagged in his office or something. I pretty much have my mind in the gutter half the time when it involves my boss nowadays, what's new about that.

My brain on the other hand is not used to handling such thoughts of lust and was currently being spammed with images of Draco and I in the middle of a passionate embrace. Just imagine the cover of a cheesy historical romance novel.

_Ah, it would seem that I have a fetish for those. Like Dumbledore likes sherbet lemons. _

Talk about a weird analogy. Fingers snapping in front of my eyes blinked and apparated me back into reality. Draco and Blaise were staring at me wearing identical bemused expressions.

Sprawled out lazily yet comfortably on the sofa, Blaise chose to annoy me, "So Ginny, what were you thinking about?"

Without thinking or giving my answer a second thought, I answered him, "Shagging."

Draco coughed, trying to hide his laugh as soon as I realized that I had spoken without thinking.

"Really…? Had mind blowing sex recently?" Blaise taunted me.

_What was with this people? _

Thankfully, at that moment, a house elf appeared, I recognized her to be Gilly, the one who served me only just like a week ago.

"Master Zabini has been summoned." She announced with a shrilly voice and disapparated making me flinch.

"You know, it sounds like you are going for a trial or something." Draco said drily. Blaise laughed at his comment….

"I probably am, mate. At any rate, Mama Malfoy is going to want to know if her step-son has been up to his womanizing ways in Italy." Draco smirked at this while I stared at Blaise, open-mouthed.

_Did he just say step-son?_

"See you later, bro." Blaise clapped Draco on his back and sauntered off.

Draco turned to me; understanding dawned upon his face at my questioning look.

"We'll talk about that later." He merely said.

"But…" I protested.

"Later." He pulled me by my elbow towards the fireplace and before I realized it, we were already out at a restaurant.

From what I could see of the inside from the counter at the entrance, this place was hip and definitely expensive. It was stunning though.

It was more of a restaurant/bar. There was a pool in the middle and there were sofas all over the place with tiny, adorable coffee tables.

The view was fabulous even though it was close to twilight. The city lights twinkled from the distance. The restaurant was located on a tower. There were paper lanterns and fairy lights twinkling. The ambience was surprisingly romantic with jazz as the music genre.

There was a chubby man with sandy blonde hair and a thick handle bar moustache standing at the counter.

"I'm sorry sir; we do not permit entry with this attire." Draco's expression hardened as the attendant in charge disallowed us from entering.

"Is there something wrong with this attire?" He demanded coldly in a calm yet powerful tone.

"Not you, sir. Your date." He had the audacity to glance at me in disgust.

I rubbed my cheeks assuming that there were ash marks on my face from the floo. Draco had performed the cleaning spell though so unless he sucked at charms, that was highly unlikely that there was a spot of dirt of my face.

I felt bad, I definitely didn't belong in a place like this but really, and there was no need to insult me like that right?

No matter what, the rich and the poor were equals because they breathed the same air. That bastard needed to get that in his fucking skull. I felt a rush of anger and my fingers itched to whip out my wand and award him a nasty Bat Bogey Hex. I tried controlling myself.

I thought that I was bad. Quite the same though contradictory at the same time, Draco was absolutely livid.

"You…." He thundered.

Draco looked as though he wanted to avada that fellow's ass into oblivion or something.

Before he could do anything further, I decided to intervene.

"Draco…." I held his hand and made him focus on me, wearing a small smile. –"I'm not really interested in dining here. So just relax. We'll go somewhere else."

He gazed at me for a minute or hour, who knows and finally made his decision. Finally he turned his super gaze on the attendant who looked slightly fearful.

Clearly he realized that he was dealing with the Draco Malfoy.

It was as though his expression passed on a message, he turned and stalked off.

"Draco! Draco! Stop, will you?" We were now on the street and this man was walking in great strides. I practically ran, endangering myself in the process.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned making me smack directly into his muscular chest which was protected by his jacket.

"Ow…" I rubbed my head in indignance. That lightened up his mood considerably. He stroked my head gently, making sure I hadn't hurt myself.

"Are you angry?" I asked him uncertainly, his moodswings were as unpredictable as the weather.

He looked at me again, contemplating his mood. Maybe I should gift him a muggle mood ring.

He finally settled on the negative.

"No… I am not."

"Great! So where do you want to eat?"

"Do you have a suggestion since all the restaurants around here are basically the same? Unimpressive, demanding, judgmental." He said bitterly.

I thought for a few seconds.

"Let me introduce you to my world." I said brightly pulling him along.

"Wait! Wait!" We were reaching. I stood on my tip-toes and covered his eyes with my palms.

"What are you doing?" He demanded irritably. I giggled.

"Covering your eyes, it's a surprise, silly."

"I don't like surprises."

"Well, I don't like you. Deal with it."

"Of course, you love me."

"Self- centered, egotistical, male…."

"I love you too."

"You know Draco; you are awfully catty for someone of the male species. If I didn't know any better, I'd assume something else…" I smirked at this as I led him to the venue which was currently left in a surprise.

"Want me to prove that I am a man…." His soft looking lips twitched at that idea.

I had an almost irresistible urge to kiss him and stop the twitching.

"Who mentioned anything about manhood?" I asked innocently.

"Don't push it."

We stopped, we were finally there.

"TA-DA!" I released my hands and gestured up ahead.

_Welcome to my world._

He opened his eyes slowly and looked around, examining his surroundings.

"You brought me to a park?" He asked in surprise, looking up ahead and noticing and icy playground where there were actually children.

"Nope…." I shook my head, -"I brought you to the world's best place."

"For ages 2-10 probably..." He said sarcastically.

I frowned. Stupid, spoilt twenty three years old.

"Shut up, Draco. Don't be difficult."

He raised his eyebrows, "Okay, seriously, what are we doing here?"

"We are going to snack on some of the world's best snacks ever made. And you are not going to be a prat about it, is that clear Mister?" I prodded my index finger on his chest.

"I'll try."

We walked on, the park was beautiful. It reminded me of a snowy heaven. Everything was white, literally. Like the restaurant, there were fairy lights on the bushes, probably Christmas decorations that hadn't been taken off yet.

It was spectacular. The park wasn't crowded yet there were an enough number of people to make you feel safe if you wanted to sit there alone.

Children were skating on the icy pond, I felt light, watching them enjoy themselves with no worries. I was like them once too, a very long time ago.

We stopped in front of a small snack shop. "Pick your poison." I urged Draco.

He gave me a disbelieving look, as though to say, "Do you really think that I would do that?"

Ignoring him, I explained. "You are supposed to close your eyes and point randomly. It's a game."

"Really, Ginny?"

I glared at him fiercely and he gave in, closing his eyes, he sighed as he pointed randomly.

He had gotten Blackcurrant Iced Tea. I had gotten that before. It was nice.

I placed my order and he protested, "Why is it that I had to close my eyes and choose something and you didn't?"

I explained, "Because, we are in a place that's completely foreign to you, so we might as well go all the way out. Besides, I love all the drinks; I don't really have a preference."

"Why don't we get one of everything then?"

"Are you crazy? We still have more to order."

We walked on, sipping our drinks, savoring its tangy flavors.

"I have to admit, I am rather partial to this drink." Draco admitted, truthfully. I felt as though I had just won the lottery.

He looked so much more carefree, breathing in the icy fresh air and enjoying the peacefully lively scenery.

We finally ordered our food, once again with Draco closing his eyes and choosing at random. We got extremely greasy sandwiches.

He stared at his food apprehensively looking at the amount of oil his sandwich was oozing.  
"Just how often do you come here?" He asked wryly.

"It's my happy place. I come here whenever I am sad but I haven't been here in a while." I shrugged.

"Are you sure I won't get a coronary after eating this?"

I rolled my eyes, "Hundred percent."

I took a bite from my own and sandwich and moaned in bliss to its delightful peppery flavors. Looking at me, he took a small bite out of his own sandwich.

After a while of chewing he concluded, "This is delicious."

I felt triumphant but watching the way he ate it was hilarious. It was so straight and his bites were dainty.

I laughed, "Draco, let me teach you how to enjoy these things." I basically shoved the sandwich in his mouth while he struggled to chew having bitten off such a large piece.

-"You're supposed to enjoy the flavors in big bites." He tried by himself and ended up with tomato sauce on his face. It was an amazing sight. Draco Malfoy with a huge bite of sandwich in his mouth caught red-handed with sauce on his face. The newspapers and press will pay me a fortune for that.

Before he could react, I whipped out my Iphone and snapped a picture. I giggled at it hysterically until tears were coming out of my eyes.

"What is it?" He growled after swallowing.

"Oh, nothing." His reflexes were too fast for me and he grabbed my phone.

_Oh no, he didn't! _

He merely looked at the photo and raised his eyebrows. "Keep it, not everybody gets to see the great Draco Malfoy covered in tomato sauce."

My mouth dropped open at that remark, I was flabbergasted. And apparently, now was his turn to have his revenge. He snapped a picture of me with my phone and showed it to me. I looked disgusting.

"Draco, give me my phone!"

"No."

"Give it to me!" I screeched.

"Do your worst." He challenged me as he stood up and held the phone high up in the air. Like a child, I jumped and tried to reach for it but failed.

I ran after him as he sprinted, chuckling. Finally, we gave up and settled back on the bench, panting.

I then remembered the forgotten topic from just now.

"Hey Draco, what was that about Blaise just now?" I asked casually yet carefully.

His grey eyes darkened considerably and he wore a very serious look on his face.

"You know, you don't really have to answer my question." I bit my lip in apprehension.

I did want him to answer my question but strangely enough, not at the price of sadness. He was so light and carefree earlier.

He shook his head as though stating that it didn't really matter. –"I trust you, Gin."

My heart swelled knowing that. I smiled at him, encouraging him to go on.

"The truth is that Blaise and I are half-brothers."

* * *

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	14. Chapter 14 Comfort

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 14. Comfort**

* * *

I gaped at him stupidly. _What else could I have actually done? _It felt like one of those things my muggle friends were always talking about.

_The awkward moment where you don't know how to react to what someone said. _

Those words flashed and disappeared like a bolt within my mind. There was pure silence around us except for the sounds of nature and the others who were taking a stroll.

Draco had drifted off into space. He stared ahead blankly as though he was trying to glare a hole in air or something. I watched him for a few seconds. He was sombre.

And then I realised that he was probably going mad wondering what one earth was going through my mind. Was I judging him?

No, I was not skilled in Legilimency. I just figured that if I revealed such a spicy piece of news to someone, I wanted them to react fast.

"You aren't joking." I finally stated quietly. It was the truth. Blaise and he were half-brothers but...

"No." He said solemnly. It was as good as a vow. I could see the truth clearly in his mercury eyes.

"How?" I pressed for information wondering if he'd tell me. I felt touched that he shared something like that with me.

"My parents were married for convenience though I think Mother eventually grew to love Father. He, on the other hand never saw her for the diamond that she is. He was constantly with whores and just other women in general until finally Mother broke the news that she was pregnant. At the same time, he was having an affair with Helena Zabini - **(Her name is not stated and hey! It's fanfiction. ;)) **He never treated Mother right. And Blaise's mum was just his mistress..." He shook his head disgustedly.

-"And then there was me. The heir to the Malfoy legacy, the new Malfoy generation. Of course, Lucius Malfoy never knew that he had another son. Blaise was lucky though, he doesn't have any Malfoy features. His father then never found out. No one knew, but today, I do. And so does Mother. It provided closure for her to get over that bastard I called my father."

"Wow..." I uttered. This was a lot to take in.

"All that glitters isn't gold, Ginny. The Malfoy's are a fantastic example of it." His eyes were so alive. They were filled with emotions.

Hatred, sadness, shame...

"So, how did you find out that Blaise was your half-brother?" I crushed the little piece was plastic that was used to wrap my sandwich.

He swirled his drink, its syrupy goodness had evolved to the bottom of the cup.

"During the war, Blaise and I were fighting side by side. Someone aimed a Sectumsempra at me but Blaise got in the way. He had lost a lot of blood by the time we had help and we needed to go Muggle, immediate blood donation or something like that. I realised that Blaise and I shared the same blood group so I volunteered to give him my blood. While doing some standard tests, they found out that we had matching...DNA." - He paused at that part, thoughtfully.

-" I refused to believe that. And then I got my hands on the Malfoy spell from one of the ancient Malfoy generation books and I tried it on him. If you weren't a Malfoy, it'd burn your skin, but it didn't. All the evidences were right there. I just had to believe it."

"And Blaise?-" I questioned curiously. "-How did he take it?"

"Blaise took it pretty well considering Mama Zabini has had seven husbands and counting. He always figured he was, as he puts it, 'somebody's bastard' anyway." Draco frowned at the last words in that sentence.

-"We were kind of like brothers anyway. It never really changed anything. The only person affected the most was Mother. She was shattered." His adoration and affection for his mother was clearly visible.

It wasn't particularly distinct but maybe because I spent all my time nowadays observing Draco, I realised that he had been betrayed one a too many times.

Fathers, we all needed them. The one person who taught you to walk, sports, self-defence. Every child needed two pillars of support, the father and the mother. All his life, Draco only had one. The father figure in his life was as good as non-existent.

He was hurting. My heart hurt for him but I knew that he didn't want my sympathy. He craved comfort and I couldn't give that to him because the truth was that I meant nothing.

"You're not such a bad guy, Draco." I said lightly, my hand on his shoulder.

He turned and met my light smile with a puzzled expression. I explained -

"If you were one, I'd have been fired a long time ago. And besides, you hardly make my fingers itch to pull a Ginny Weasley on you." I quipped.

It's as though the iceberg of the negatives in his eyes melted away, he smirked at me probably knowing that it was my way of comforting him.

"If you let the cat out of the bag... I might just turn into that bad guy."

"I might just take you up on that offer." I joked.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward, it was strangely comfortable. We were both fine with each other's presence.

"It's getting late." Draco reminded me after a few moments of zoning out in complete silence.

I stood up reluctant for this evening to end trudging and burying my feet in snow. We walked down the park towards where we had come from. Enjoying the weather, huddled in my cloak, my mind was a million miles away.

"Ginny!" Draco grasped my wrist rather roughly making me cry out in surprise. I looked at him, shaken.

"You were going the wrong way." He explained, -"Diagon Alley is in the opposite direction."

I stared at him, "We're not going home?"

"Not yet."

It was as though those two words made my day or something. My curiosity piqued though. Where were we headed off to now? I wanted so much to ask but Draco was in quite the mood, I wasn't so sure if he would take kindly to me asking.

We walked through a route that looked vaguely familiar but I didn't think too much of it. Everything would look familiar in this weather anyway. It was all covered in an icy white blanket. I observed my surroundings.

Finally, Draco paused, "I have some work to do in here." He informed me briefly as we walked inside this building of beautiful architecture. I admired the artistic designs made on this place; the kiddie hand prints made of the wall was simply striking. The bright and happy colours gave off a positive vibe in this place.

It reminded me of Teddy's playgroup sessions. _I hadn't seen Teddy in a while. _I thought wistfully planning to make more time for him.

As I observed the place, I saw Draco respectfully extending his greetings to a plump woman. She had a cheery face filled with smile lines. There was a very motherly aura about her.

"Isla... I trust that everything is fine around here?" He questioned calmly as he flipped through a file, studying their records.

I didn't really understand why he needed to do that but the thought of asking just was not so appealing.

"Of course son. Stop carrying the burden of the world on your shoulders. You work too hard, my dear. Now why don't you introduce me to that pretty little thing standing there," She replied in a matronly way.

Draco shook his head in exasperation but I could tell that he wasn't at all irate by what she said.

"Ginny..." He beckoned for me to join them.

"Isla, this is my secretary, Ginny. SECRETARY..." He emphasized on the word.

-"And Ginny, this is Isla. She is the managing director of the Dragon Foundation."

I had heard about the foundation before. It was one of the most highly respected charity organisations in modern wizarding society. It had started out as a way to help victims from the war and now participated in all forms of charity.

She laughed at his introduction as I greeted her, "Hello ma'am."

"Nonsense. How can such a pretty little thing be your secretary? I may be old, but I have eyes. The both of you are crazy about each other." I felt myself flush involuntarily.

In my case, I was sort of crazy about him thanks to the little crush.

"Oh dear. You caught us. Didn't she, darling?" He chuckled lightly. -"On the side note Ginny, while Isla here is the managing director of the Dragon foundation, she was also my governess as a child and she is Mother's aunt."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." It was so hard to believe that she was Narcissa's aunt. I didn't know the Blacks had any more relations that were alive. Not that I knew much about their family or their history. I bet Harry on the other hand was aware.

I waited for a couple more minutes before he was finally done checking on the records of the organisation. He exchanged a few more brief pleasantries with other staff before he finally walked over to me.

"Ready to go?" He held me by my funny bone gently.

"Always." I replied.

We walked toward the exit but were stopped by a squealing brunette and oddly enough, this time, she was greeting me. I stared at her utterly perplexed as to where did I know her from, not surprisingly, my mind was blank. Not even a whistle.

"We finally found you! Thank goodness I can never forget a face." She squeezed me tightly, violating my need for personal space.

I frowned at her, "Do I know you?"

"You donated 5000 galleons to this organisation for Christmas. We'd never forget such kindness." She chirped away merrily, completely unaware that I did not have the most pleasant expression plastered on my face.

_What was she talking about? What on earth….? 5000 galleons. _

Forget whistles, bells were ringing in my head. I thought my brain would fuse from how much I was struggling to recall how I knew her. Hell, she definitely was not from Hogwarts, that much was obvious.

Finally noticing my confused expression, she explained. "You donated 5000 galleons to us on Christmas Eve."

_Ohhhh… that. _

As she went on about my supposed generosity, I recalled telling Draco that I had blown my salary on video games, etc.

Drats! And now I couldn't look him in the eye. I smiled sheepishly at her, "It was nothing, just thought that I should do something good with my first ever salary."

She continued blabbering away excitedly about charity work and surprisingly, while I was lost in my thoughts, Draco continued to answer her. I heaved a sigh of relief when she took off, and walked on before Draco could say anything.

"So, video games and all huh?" Draco caught up to my pace easily. I could see his oh-so-sexy smirk plastered on his face from the corner of my eye.

I groaned in mortification. _Why couldn't the floor open and swallow me?_

Ignoring him, I walked forward towards the gates of the Dragon Foundation. He held me back and even then, I avoided his gaze.

"Ginny, look at me." He shook me gently, his hands locking my shoulders. I shook my head knowing that I was being immature about this.

His penetrating gaze remained on me for what felt like an eternity even though it was probably less than a minute. I felt myself flushing under his gaze. He tilted my chin to meet his gaze.

"I knew about this, the very night you donated the money. This is not news to me." He raised his eyebrows.

I stared at him in disbelief as I processed his words, "So you played along with my lie."

"Well, yes. You are quite the terrible liar you know that?" He replied wryly.

"And how did you find out?" I asked indignantly, feeling extremely irate.

"If I tell you, I'd have to kill you." He replied, seductively obviously trying to emit another reaction out of me.

I closed my eyes wanting to bang my head on the nearest solid matter available and that was exactly what I did.

Turns out, it was Draco Malfoy's amazingly muscular chest, which was rather painful as well. I rubbed my head forlornly as he laughed and pulled me into a hug.

"You silly girl, you do not have to be self-conscious around me. I thought we're already passed that with the Kamasutra thing." He ruffled my hair.

I smacked his shoulder and he laughed harder pulling me into a tighter embrace.

Being in his arms was amazing, his musky scent was intoxicating, his warmth, like a blanket of security. I was hugging the very person I was crazy over, and it was in his arms that I found the most comfort, that I felt the safest, protected.

* * *

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	15. Chapter 15 Day Off

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 15. Day Off**

* * *

_8 30 am. Uh…oh._

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me down the corridors of Malfoy Empire, one hand clutching my satchel that had mercilessly swayed off my shoulder as I raced over and the other hand clutching a pair of sandals that belonged to Hermione.

It was about time that I got down to getting my own stuff. That's not the point though, the point is, I was late, for work. As much as Draco and I had an established friendship lately, maybe a little more than that but that was probably me being hopeful.

Ugh, I keep running off track here. I AM FREAKING LATE AND THAT IS PROBABLY INEXCUSABLE IN DRACO'S EYES. FRIENDSHIP OR NO FRIENDSHIP!

Phew! Got that out and look, I finally reached the door to Draco's cabin. I took a deep breath to compose myself and regain my breath after practically sprinting trying to look like I was fashionably late and I had taken my time and sauntered to work.

Even though I was anything but.

Today, feeling simple, I decided to wear a white cotton shirt which belonged to Ron and a floral print mini-skirt that wasn't so mini on me that belonged to Hermione and a thin brown belt with sandals… that I had not worn… because I could not get the straps on properly.

Don't judge me.

Before I could actually take the time and wear my sandals, Narcissa emerged from Draco's cabin.

"Ah, Ginny dear. Fabulous, I need you to…." She was interrupted by the man himself.

"Mother, if that's Ginny you are talking to, could you send her right in?"

I looked at Narcissa who sniffed in disdain, "Oh alright, get me a new secretary soon."

I shrugged apologetically though mentally I was the polar opposite. I was doing a happy dance.

No more dreaded tea parties. I was too undignified for it.

Walking into Draco's office, "Er…. Hey." I greeted him awkwardly as he bit on an eagle-feathered quill, concentrating on a document.

I sighed mentally. _Why couldn't I be that quill?_

Dear Lord, I was such a school girl. _But still, _my mind argued, _you've gotta admit. His lips look simply delicious. _And my thoughts raced to the extent that it could rival Play Wizard or even a mere muggle pornography website.

Actually no, we were semi-clothed. He was in his shirtless sexy glory.

"Ginny? Ginny!" I snapped back into reality only to realise that Draco was merely inches away from me.

He looked at me curiously, but I shook my head forcing myself to concentrate on not swooning at the sight before me.

Strangely enough, he was dressed exactly like the Draco I had my passionate affairs with in my dreams. He was completely casual in a light blue t-shirt and jeans and he looked sexy as hell. His blue tee complimented his eyes making them have a tint of blue.

"You ran all the way here, didn't you?" He eyed me suspiciously.

_Uh oh. What do I say? _

"No. I took my time. Why do you think I am so late?" I replied defensively crossing my arms and looking away.

"Late for?" Draco inquired nonchalantly.

Somehow, I felt unnerved I could tell Draco was studying me. I shook my head finding something to say.

Giving up, "This?" I threw my hand forward, gesturing frustratedly.

"Are you aware that you have the entire day off?" He raised a superior eyebrow at me.

I scanned through my brains, vaguely recalling a dream this morning about the incessant tapping of Draco's royal owl who apparently hates me because of my love for snoozing. He had pecked me on my finger and flown off, leaving behind a letter by Draco which stated that I….was off for today.

_I make Neville Longbottom in Hogwarts, before the Great War look like someone with a minor memory problem!_

_Wait a second, if I had the day off, what the hell was I doing here? _

"If I have the day off, what am I doing here?" I demanded, glaring at him, annoyed.

"Well…"He pursed his lips making me sigh internally, "I presume that you have nothing planned for the day?"

I shook my head. While reading his letter, subconsciously, I must have planned to snooze all day or bake or something.

"Well then let's go." He walked towards the door, pausing.

"Ginny, please wear your sandals."

I was completely mortified and nearly smacked my head with Hermione's sandals. They were rather pretty. White straps with coloured beads that gave it a tribal appearance, it suited my creamy complexion.

We took the floo, of course, I didn't hear what Draco called out, I was too pleased by the fact that I had a death grip on his arm and I could feel the ripples of his muscles.

_Schoolgirl._

We arrived what looked like a really posh garden that was slightly offshore an orchard. There were acres of land with pasture, cows, and blooming flowers announcing the arrival of spring. It was a beautiful sight, really. We walked towards a huge, white marquee which was decorated with a diamond-based chandelier and wooden dining furniture was set for hundreds of guests to dine at.

Fresh flowers were placed in vases which was set across the tables. Looking towards the food section, I was in awe of the colourful variety of different types of puddings, treacle, cakes etc. There was even chocolate fondue! And a little chocolate fountain!

Obviously, I was admiring the dessert section. This place was fantastic.

"Where are we, Draco?" I breathed, still admiring the venue.

"We are attending a little celebration." He said, looking pleased at my amazement.

"Whose?"

"One of my clients runs a winery. The real wine-making festival occurs in October back from where he comes from, but the theme for today is wine-making festival. So everything is going to be like how it is back from where this festival originates from, Italy. He is celebrating the birth of his son." He explained.

Looking up, I saw an elegant banner that said, "The birth of Acorri Bianche."

_Bianche. _The name rang a bell.

It was a brand of wine that my father loved. I gasped in surprise at my realisation. We were at Antonio Bianche's party.

Antonio Bianche was a famous vintner **(someone who makes wine and sells them) **across the wizarding world.

WOW.

As I took all of that in, someone approached us, none other than Antonio Bianche himself. He greeted us, saying something in Italian to which Draco replied in equally fluent Italian which sounded amazingly sexy. His voice flowed like honey.

He nudged me to put my hand forward, which I did and Antonio kissed it.

"Ah, che bella donna." **(Which means, what a beautiful woman)**

I looked at Draco for help because I couldn't speak a word of Italian to save my life. Except maybe, a foreign word just flickered through my mind,

_Merci _

Oh no, that's thank you in French.

Meanwhile, I decided to smile and look pretty. _Psshyeah_! _Like_ _that_ _would work._ I scoffed mentally.

Thankfully, the businessmen did not pay too much of attention to me, which was great because I let my mind wander off admiring the scenery before me.

There were people of the _poshest _attires, sipping sparkling wine from flutes and nibbling on bits of ricotta cheese which I had learnt from Draco was tradition at this festival.

I wanted to try some too, I pouted. I walked towards the food booths deciding to get food from the booth which had the most colourful flags on it.

"What will you have, Ma'am?" A young waiter with a slight Italian accent asked me.

I stared at all that was for display. _Oooh, this was the booth that_ _served ricotta cheese. _There were waiters going around serving canapés with ricotta cheese in them.

_Must have come from this booth,_ I mused.

"I can't decide." I finally told the waiter who was staring at me intently, waiting for my order.

A torch lit in my head, "How about you, surprise me?" I said enthusiastically.

The waiter looked taken aback as though no one ever asked him such a question before. The likelihood of that was a 100 percent, I'd say. Sensing that I was actually serious about it, he handed me a small plate with what I'd call the traditional.

"There is nothing better to enjoy a glass of wine with than a bit of cheese." He advised.

I smiled at him and took my plate, heading off to a corner. I stood alone, nibbling on the cheese feeling like that rat in a muggle movie that I watched with Teddy while baby-sitting.

It was slightly sweet.

"It's a savoury delight isn't it?" A woman who looked slightly middle-aged asked me. Her tone was rather snooty, she sounded like the type who would turn her nose if I were to disagree with her opinion.

So I, in all my glory replied as perkily as I could, "Absolutely!"

She smiled thinly scrutinizing my attire and wrinkled her nose in distaste when she looked at my black, floral not so mini but supposedly mini skirt.

"I have never seen you around the High Society before. Are you from Ireland or….?" She pressed nosily.

I could feel my temper flaring though I bit back a retort. Before I could say anything that didn't sound as unpleasant, someone else interrupted smoothly.

"Actually, she is my date."

_DRACO!_ I felt my jaw drop open in surprise. _Date? _

Before I could stop myself from reacting, my heart started thumping madly with joy. I could feel my cheeks flush. I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling dreamily. I felt like one of those girls who'd just toss everything in the air, twirl around and everything would come floating down while I was in my dream world.

I was so overreacting.

"Ginny? Ginny?" Draco shook me lightly by my shoulder. I snapped back to earth dazedly looking at him.

_It's a crime to look so smoulderingly sexy._

"Where is your mind at?" He wondered rhetorically. _Trust me, you don't want to know. _

"Nothing." I replied innocently. "-I was just thinking about the ricotta cheese I just nibbled on. She asked me whether I liked it."

"And did you?"

"Honestly, not really but I told her otherwise." I shrugged before he could ask me for an explanation.

"The original one does lack flavour and only authentic cheese-lovers like Blaise would enjoy its texture and whatever makes them sound extraordinarily dignified. Let me show you something else." We walked back towards the colourful booth again.

Draco looked at the displays before he removed the lid, picked up a piece.

"Here, try this one."

I opened my mouth to reject it but he put it right in, I had to bite a piece off before I ended up dying from asphyxiation.

"Mmmm, this is delicious!" I exclaimed, enjoying how the flavours seduced my taste buds.

Draco handed me the rest of the piece. "I only like the best." He smirked superiorly at this statement of his.

"I can tell." I stuffed the rest of the piece in his mouth before he could react. His eyes widened in shock, I laughed and took a step back but he grabbed me before I could move any further away.

He pulled me closer till I could feel his body pressed against mine. His hands gripped my waist tightly. He was merely inches away from me. My heart raced in anticipation.

"What should I do to you for that?" He whispered softly, his cool breath tickling my ears.

Suddenly it was as though no one else existed in this place. It was just us in this beautifully decorated marquee.

My breath got caught in my throat. "Whatever you want to."

He moved a strand of my hair back and leaned in.

"Ah, Draco. La danza è già iniziata, porti la tua ragazza lì!" (This means - Ah Draco! The dance has already started, bring your girl there!")

We pulled away in alarm as Antonio Bianche himself stood before us, his beady black eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Shall we?" Draco looked at me.

I nodded my head silently and the three of us walked towards where the celebrations were. There was loud festive music playing and people were dancing in what looked like a bucket. I looked on curiously.

"What is that?"

"That is how we make wine, Bella donna." Antonio Bianche replied, gesturing modestly to where people were laughing and jumping.

"You mean to say, that there are grapes in there?" I gaped at it in surprise.

"Yes." He clarified.

"Ooooohh…" I squealed in excitement. I pulled Draco with me toward the gigantic bucket. There were indeed grapes in there; people were stepping on them with their bare feet. It looked fun!

"Wow." Draco smiled at my amazement. It was a fascinating sight.

"Why don't you join us?" A friendly brunette invited me as we looked on.

"Oh no!" I shook my head, "-Thank you. I couldn't possibly do that."

"Oh come in." She insisted pulling me. "You are dressed for it. You just have to take off your sandals. I'm sure boyfriend here wouldn't mind at all." She looked pointedly at Draco.

I turned to look at his expression and also for permission. "Not at all, go ahead, Ginny."

"Come with me." I requested shyly.

–"I'd love to, but I have a wound on my foot that has not been dressed properly. I should probably avoid any chances of contamination."

I felt slightly disappointed but oh well. Removing my sandals, I folded my skirt and clambered in the bucket trying to look as elegant as I could.

"Oh jump in already!"

The ground felt entirely different, like stepping on grapes all the time. I walked on them a bit, my feet enjoying the different texture and treatment.

Gradually I got in sync to the rhythm that was playing and I started to move to the beats. Draco watched me from afar. I waved at him, laughing and enjoying myself.

His face was light and carefree, like he was in complete freedom.

I couldn't bring myself to pay attention to anyone else. It was as though I danced for Draco and only Draco. I swayed my hips a little, trying to look more seductive.

Draco gestured that I was doing a good job, making me laugh once again.

_Screw the girl with floating papers etc, this was awesome. _

I danced for a few more minutes before I finally decided to climb out, Draco helped me out like the perfect gentleman.

"My feet are all stained with grape juice!" I observed excitedly.

"You didn't expect pumpkin juice did you?" Draco replied sarcastically.

"Oh shut up." I smacked his shoulder lightly.

We sat down and he helped me clean my feet by performing a Cleaning Spell.

"You are quite the dancer." Draco complimented me, making me blush thinking of all my impure intentions.

"Thanks." I smiled as a waiter served us both, red wine.

"Just one." Draco ordered. "-We'll share it because I know that you will not finish yours."

"Says who?" I scoffed.

"Says me." He took a sip elegantly and handed me the glass.

A sip of the wine and I knew that he was right. It was so strong! _Ugh!_

I had expected us to be near awkward with the nearly kiss incident earlier but things were entirely different. It was a good thing though and I'll definitely take what I can get.

"Not your poison?" Draco took the glass from me.

"Not at all." I shook my head. We watched the crowd enjoy themselves.

"I love this place. The fiesta, everything is just so full of life." I breathed in admiration.

"Not to mention the company you are with. Gorgeous, divine, simply irresistible, stunning…" Draco added on.

"Yeah that too." I agreed absent-mindedly.

Wait a minute! _Company? Gorgeous, divine? What the hell did I just agree to? _

"Draco!" I smacked his shoulder indignantly as I realised what he had just done.

He laughed gaily, "I was wondering when you will realise what you agreed to."

"Do. Not. Make. Fun. Of. My. Eccentricities." I warned him playfully narrowing my eyes.

"You've got it wrong Ginny. " He told me seriously, -"It's insanity."

My eyes grew big with outrage. "You…!" – He moved back knowing I was about to pounce on him.

"Alright, alright, Cat." He put his hands up, surrendering.

"That's more like it." I folded my arms and made do to ignoring him.

"Don't mess with a Weasley. Especially the little one." He said, trying to get my attention.

"It's not working, Draco!" I said in a sing song voice.

"How about a peace offering then?" He suggested.

"What do you have in mind?"

"This." He had a plate filled with fudge brownies.

I squealed and made move to grab the plate but he moved it out of my way.

"Are you still mad?" He asked carefully.

"No." I shook my head madly.

_Amazing what chocolate made a woman do. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the dessert. It was oozing with chocolate sauce. Mmmm… _

"Are you sure about that?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yes, Draco. Now give it to me!" And this time, I very nearly pounced on him.

Guess what? I got my dessert and I enjoyed every last bite of it.

We spent the rest of the day together, having fun and treasuring every moment of it. It made my fondness for Draco increase. He was much more than a crush, I had realised. I liked him, a lot.

"Thank you for bringing me out here today. I loved every moment of it." I thanked Draco as he walked me to the porch of the Burrow.

The night had finally arrived.

"I'm glad you did, I wouldn't have enjoyed a minute, alone." Draco answered me seriously.

The cool wind blew, causing a few strands to disturb the trance like state I usually got into whenever I looked Draco Malfoy in the eye.

"Good night Draco." I wished him as I turned toward the door.

"Good night, Ginny." He smiled at me gently moving my messed up strands. My hair probably looked like a haystack. I thought self-consciously.

The moonlight reflected off the porch provided a strange sort of intimately magnetic attraction between Draco and me; I couldn't pull myself away from him, either. And from the looks of it, neither could he.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the contacts of his soft, sensual lips but to my surprise, he took my hand and kissed it lightly, like a gentleman would.

"Sleep tight." He ruffled my hair, his smirk visible under the moonlight.

I opened my mouth to reply but in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

Closing my door, I sighed leaning back. It all felt like a dream.

A good one at that.

Thankfully, it wasn't. I know because my arms were covered with reddish bruises from being irritated by me all day.

* * *

**This chapter is for each and every one of you who reviewed for the previous chapter. Thank you for sticking around. I wasn't expecting many reviews and my jaw dropped open with the amount of positive feedback I got for this story. Thank you so much. :D **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! XOXO**

**15 JULY. XOXO Can't wait.**

**Wish me luck, I'm going back to school after a Mid-Sem break. :D**


	16. Chapter 16 Epiphany

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 16. Epiphany**

* * *

The beauty of spring brought along happiness with it, this time around. My family was back!

Yes! The Weasley's were back from an extended vacation of catching the Quidditch World Cup in Bulgaria. Apparently, Spain had returned home with the World Championship trophy with England a close second.

With the entire family back, I felt complete. At the same time, the entire house was in chaos. Mum immediately set to work; clearly my cleaning skills were not up to standards. Mikayla, Hermione started work in the kitchen while I helped Phlegm – I mean, Fleur put little Victoire Amanda to sleep.

The boys were told to degnome the garden while Dad headed off for grocery shopping at Diagon Alley. He had officially decided to retire though he remained a respected, behind-the-scenes Ministry official.

Spring cleaning, completely suits the season.

While in the kitchen, I kept up with the gossip and the stories of what had occurred at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Oh Ginny! We got your favourite player's autograph and a magical bobble head of Sid."

Sid Umralkrov was my favourite player from the Bulgarian Quidditch Premiere League. He played Seeker for Krev United.

"Really?" I brightened up enthusiastically as I stirred a cauldron of piping hot soup.

"Yep." Hermione nodded her head absentmindedly as she chopped onions. –"We met Viktor too."

Damn! I would have killed to see Ron's expression upon meeting his former idol and his wife's ex-boyfriend. It would have been priceless.

Maybe even worth… actually, nope. I'd rather spend time getting to know the mysteriously sexy Draco Malfoy.

"I didn't know you liked Viktor, Gin" Hermione happened to glance my way, seeing me fan myself immersed in hot thoughts of ravishing….

"What!" I nearly dropped the ladle spoon I was using stir the pot, in shock.

"Well, you were swooning." She shrugged while the rest of my sisters-in-law smirked at me.

This was how the house felt on a typical weekend where everyone came over from their respective homes to get together and have dinner. They had to unpack and get back to their routine lives but they chose to come over and keep me entertained with antics and stories from the Quidditch World Cup.

My family was the greatest.

Right now, with all the scrutinizing going on. Not really.

I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks. Viktor Krum, seriously?

"No, I was fanning myself because the steam from the soup was getting to me." I avoided meeting their gazes and continued with my work.

"We can switch places if you like, if Ron walks in, he is probably going to think that I am sniffling because I am upset with him." Indeed, Hermione did look like she spent a good hour sobbing her woes out when in actual fact it was caused by the onions.

"When does he never think you are angry with him, Hermione?" I rolled my eyes sarcastically, taking her place and continuing with chopping the onions.

"The last time I got angry was… Hmmm, when he stuffed a snowball down my sweater." Hermione replied, thoughtfully.

Too much info. I grimaced.

Judging by the looks that my sisters –in-law were giving me, I am pretty sure that they did not believe my explanation.

"So how is work, Ginny?" Mikayla asked as she reached for a glass of iced water.

"Work is great." I replied, concentrating on making my chopped onions looked as even and neat as Hermione's. That girl was such a perfectionist.

"How are the people at work?" Alicia asked slyly.

"Great." I said a fond smile spreading across my face as I thought of Draco in his uttermost handsome glory.

"Is it one of those 'there-is-a-hot-guy' great or 'I-seriously-love-my-job' great?" Mikayla questioned carefully.

"First option" I answered her, without thinking.

There was a squeal in the kitchen, making me snap right out of my daydream.

All the girls came and gave me a big congratulatory hug.

"That's great Gin, who is the bloke?" –

"Don't let your brothers find out... You know how protective they are of you." –

"That's fab, Gin. So are you having an affair with him? Is he hot?"

"I'm so happy for you! We were wondering how you would react when you inevitably found out that Harry is dating Luna."

At first, I was overwhelmed with such enthusiastic responses from them. The last one just snapped me out of my reverie.

"WHAT? Harry and Luna are together?" My mouth dropped open in shock.

I felt as though someone had poured a glass of ice cold water on me, as though someone had slapped my face. Luna was my best friend along with Channy.

We were a trio. That went against our friendship pact. It was in the Girble – The Girl Bible.

Hermione's wide smile faded upon seeing my impassive expression. Or else least, what I hope was impassive.

"When did this happen?" I wondered even though I shouldn't have.

It was obvious. Harry had been in Bulgaria and so was Luna. They would have definitely met, nature would have taken its course and they eventually would have hooked up. Which they did.

So why was I so stunned?

Harry and I were not meant for each other, we had already established that after the Great War. I treated him like a brother, sometimes a confidant when no one else was around.

So why was I so affected?

Luna was my best friend. She had always been there for me through thick and thin, from the very first year of Hogwarts. Our friendship actually went way before that. We were diaper buddies, having known each other from birth.

So why this feeling?

I felt empty. Was it because everyone around me had someone to hold on to and I had no one? Was that the reason? Or did I never get over Harry? Or because Luna had broken the friendship code and gone out with my ex-boyfriend turned god brother?

So many emotions, so much of confusion.

"Are you alright, Gin?" Hermione looked at me carefully. I had been unnaturally quiet. The chatter in the kitchen had died down. I suppose everyone was expecting me to have a mental breakdown over Harry's love life.

"I am fine. Just shocked. How come none of these came out in the World Cup gossips in Witch's Weekly?" I would have definitely recalled if that had been printed out. No doubt, Audrina would have taken some time out to screw my brains with that little bit of news as well.

"You are joking right?"She looked rather worried that I may have lost the little bit of sanity I had left in me over this little piece of news.

"I am fine, Mione. Fit as a fiddle." I replied impatiently.

Deep down inside, I wasn't. Not devastated, just not pleasantly surprised.

When I finally had some time to myself later, I took a short walk around Ottery St Catchpole, the nearest muggle village to the Burrow. The friendly muggle children waved at me as their mothers sat out on the porch having the afternoon tea with scones and cakes.

It never occurred to me that Harry would end up with one of my best friends, Luna. They belonged together, now that I analysed it, I was amazed that I had never seen it before.

Harry, made life complicated while Luna simplified things. They balanced each other. All this while, when they were friends, she somehow managed to take his pain away. When he felt misunderstood or angsty. I could only watch and wring my hands in frustration at the amount of angst he bottled up within himself.

She was wise, he was gallant. They were like the Yin and Yang couple. Made for each other

But still, Luna…. Harry?

Sitting down on a bench in the village playground, a fond memory began to find its way around my head. The one of me and Draco in the park, I couldn't help but smile to myself.

And it was then that I knew that it didn't matter. The news about Harry and Luna getting together, it made me realise something else.

That I cared deeply for someone else, definitely way more than I had anticipated. That was the epiphany, my epiphany.

* * *

**I ship Harry/Luna. They clearly belong together! (: **

**Its a short chapter & not one of my best. Not bubbling with inspiration yet. **

**Having holidays again, so expect more updates till late October. **

**Thanks for the love for the previous chapter! 3 **

**Reviews please! **

**XOXO**


	17. Chapter 17 Incoming

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 17. Incoming**

* * *

My family's return had been eventful as of now. Everyone had returned back to their respective houses with their spouses. Only Ron and Hermione remained in the Burrow. They were waiting for practice season to start.

Harry had yet to return from Bulgaria; apparently he stayed behind with Luna who apparently was still raving on about her _pointless_ missions with complete enthusiasm or so I've heard from Hermione.

I think I had it established that them being together didn't matter to me but then after thinking again, I decided that I was mad at Luna. Not mad like, 'Bitch-you-took-my-ex-boyfriend' mad but 'why-didn't-you-tell-me' mad.

_A letter would have been nice_.

Luna was going to get the silent treatment from me and Channy when she returned home. Speaking of Channy, my other crazy best friend, she was missing in action too. She had yet to reply to my Christmas gift and it was way past that now.

_Probably partying somewhere, _I mused to myself at the breakfast table.

It was an awfully ungodly hour for a Monday morning, the crack of dawn. I was exhausted from cleaning the house to suit Mum's impeccably high standards of cleanliness. While I did know my way around with the simple cleaning spells, the complex ones were rather difficult, especially when they did the job of wiping the dust at the back of the cupboards.

I was no perfect housekeeper but with the crash course I had during the weekend, I was pretty sure that I could take on the next person I met with OCD on cleanliness.

The positive part out of this experience was that I was more efficient.

_Yeah, right. _

"There you go, dear" Mum served me a plate of apple French toast.

My dad sat opposite me flipping through the Daily Prophet while sipping on a cup of freshly brewed coffee. I on the other hand, chomped down my breakfast very quickly topping it off with great gulps of orange juice. I was rather ravenous today.

Just as I was about to leave, Hermione and Ron descended down to the kitchen and persuaded me into sitting down with them for the next ten minutes.

"We have a surprise for you." Ron grabbed a plate full of piping hot apple French toast and sprayed it with maple syrup. Hermione and I watched him gobble down his breakfast with a mixture of fascination and disgust.

"What?" He asked with his mouth full when he realised that the both of us had been openly staring at him. I had a brief tinge of déjà vu as Hermione sighed and I shrugged.

Some things never change, that was Ron for you.

A few minutes later, my surprise arrived through the floodgate. It was none other than The Boy Who Lived, himself.

"Harry!" I shrieked in excitement as I threw myself at him into a hug.

"Hey Gin!" He said laughingly, hugging me close. –"I didn't know you missed me that much."

His green eyes sparkled with joy, laughter and amusement. This was the Harry that I had always wanted to see. The Harry that I could never bring, it was amazing to see him so light and carefree.

Indeed, he was in love. It screamed off him in every parts.

"What did you get me from Bulgaria?" I demanded since every one of my siblings had brought me a gift. Whether it was a postcard of the monuments and centuries old museums or a simple bobble head of Sid Umralkrov.

"I got you a present." He answered me, grinning, earning a glare from me.

"Oh alright." I pouted, not really meaning it. It was fun to push his buttons like a little sister would. He loved us like family and the feeling was definitely mutual.

Just then, Mum came into the kitchen to resume her kitchenly duties and saw Harry.

"Harry dear!" She embraced him, -"Just in time for breakfast. And Ginny, what are you still doing here? You were supposed to have left ages ago."

That put me right back on track. _Ginny, just because you grape-stomped with Draco in somebody's celebration, doesn't mean you can waltz in there fashionably late. Draco Malfoy is still your boss._

_Unfortunately._

"Oops!" I jumped up and grabbed my satchel. I was about to grab floo powder when Harry intervened.

"You're going to work at this hour?" He looked astonished.

I nodded my head, "It is a part of my contract. My boss is a very busy man." _And smoking hot too at that!_

"I'll walk you." He stood up, abandoning… Oh he finished breakfast.

"There is no need for that, Hare." I adjusted my satchel properly.

"I insist, Gin" Without a word, he walked towards the floogate and grabbed and entire handful of floo powder.

"Where to?" He looked at me grimly as though he would not tolerate any more of my protests towards him escorting me to Corporate Alley.

_Girl, you're screwed. _

_Think quickly, Gin. Harry cannot know that you work for Draco Malfoy. What to do? What to do? _

My mind was jammed in panic, what on earth do I tell Harry.

Suddenly, I had a brainwave just as Harry snapped his fingers and looked at me questioningly.

For a second there, I was blur and then I realised what he was trying to indicate.

"Corporate Alley" I said as clearly as I could as Harry held me by the arm in a death grip.

Muttering a Cleaning Spell when we reached, he waited for me to walk in the direction I had to, joining me. He was observing the environment around him.

It was rather quiet, what else could be expected. Only my job started at such an unnatural hour.

"Interesting place." He remarked, still taking in the various architecture and magnificent designs of the different business empires of the wizarding world.

"Isn't it?" I remarked brightly, gesturing around. This was my world, a place where I could be myself and be accepted no matter whom I worked for.

In fact, I was rather respected around here. Apparently, rumours had it that I was Draco Malfoy's longest lasting secretary who had yet to drop her pants for him.

_I wonder when will that happen._

I mused to myself internally.

"Did you say something, Gin?" Harry once again snapped me out of my reverie.

_Uh oh. I hope I did not just say any of that aloud. _

"No. Why? Did you hear something?" I tried to pretend as though I was puzzled.

Honestly, if there were ever a Worst Actress in the History of Forever Award, it'd go to me. I'd be the reigning Queen of terrible actresses.

"Oh…No…" Harry shook his head, -"Thought I heard something though."

"Must be your imagination, Harry. Or maybe you are hearing Parseltongue." I teased him as he pretended to swat me off like an irritating fruit fly.

We laughed and made our way along Corporate Alley as I showed him important landmarks that we had always read about in the business section.

"So Harry, about that gift, when are you going to give it to me?" At my persistent mention of my 'said' gift, Harry looked rather uncomfortable.

"What?" I demanded questioningly, hands akimbo.

Harry was silent for what felt like eternity considering the fact that I was on my way to work and if I was a second late, my devastatingly sexy boss will fire me.

He was immersed in a silent battle within himself, his emerald eyes revealed that to me.

"Hare…"I started, but he cut me off.

"Look Gin, I have something to tell you, but I'm not sure if you are going to take it well. I really hope you do though…" He paused, taking a deep breath and then continuing.

I waited for him, curious to know what he had to say.

-"I'm in love with Luna." He stopped to look at my facial expression, which I had to commend myself for, was superbly impassive.

"Hare.." I began again but he shushed me.

"I know, Gin that we've been in a relationship and… Well, hopefully you get the picture. It did not work out, but we're friends. And Luna is your best friend. It's been ages since we.. you know. Broke up. But, I don't know if you are still hung over and Luna…."

"HARRY BLOODY POTTER! LISTEN TO ME AND LISTEN TO ME THIS VERY INSTANT!-" I prodded his muscled chest roughly with a sharp fingernail. Secretly, I relished in the fact that my finger might have caused him the slightest bit of discomfort.

"ELSE I'M GOING TO HEX YOUR BALLS OFF. AND TRUST ME YOU AND LUNA ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE THAT." I took a deep breath trying to calm myself down.

"First of all, I am so over you alright! You're history. You are one of my brothers now. We are family! Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. Luna is my best friend and there is all that whole load of crap in that Girble if it goes against two of the people on my list of most favourite people in the world! So… Basically, all I'm trying to say is that both you and Luna have my blessing." I finished off sweetly, smiling.

"No, Gin. Luna and I…. Wait, did I just hear you say…" Harry stumbled over his words in disbelief.

My smile gave him hope and my reply confirmed his thoughts.

"You have my blessings." I simply stated smilingly.

A smile wider than a banana grew on his face. He was genuinely worried about what I had to say about his relationship. That touched me enough to know that I was special to him.

"Ginny!" He pulled me into his arms and swung me around. I squealed with laughter.

"Put me down, Hare!" I shrieked, smacking him in futile resistance on his back.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me!" He exclaimed in joy.

"Yes, Harry Potter, I've made you the happiest person alive by agreeing to marry you." I joked.

He laughed and finally set me down to safe grounds.

He gazed at me for a long time, as though searching through my soul for any unhappiness but when he finally found none.

"Thank you, Gin." He embraced me once again and kissed me lightly on the cheek.

"Don't treat Luna like that, okay?" I teased him.

He made move to smack me on my butt but I moved away just in time.

I laughed and reached forward to give him a peck.

"My work is here, Harry. I've got to go or else I am going to be late."

I touched his cheek, "Bye!" and walked towards the entrance of the King Neptune Convection Centre.

_A longer route to my office, but nothing unmanageable._

At work, things were rather different. I met Blaise; who decided to lounge around the office today. Draco on the other hand, seemed to be missing in action. I did not have the chance to speak with him since we spent the other day together. Something was wrong, I was pretty sure.

Sitting down in my very own cabin, my thoughts were occupied by none other than my boss, himself.

It was usually like this when Draco was out of town or in a meeting with another company which was a rare occasion. Meetings were usually held in the empire itself and I knew of its schedules and also Draco's whereabouts.

_He could have taken ill, after all he is a workaholic and in a category of its own. _

Not seeing him worried me, he would at least stop by and check on me to give a snarky comment or sneak up on me or smack my butt with a file that he would usually have on him. Today… was another story altogether.

_Okay, so the 'taken ill' reason is_ _stupid. If Blaise is here, Draco definitely is. _

My concern and curiosity got the better of me and hence conjuring up an excuse, I made my way to his cabin.

Peering inside after a short knock, I saw Draco sitting grandly at his table with Blaise directly opposite him. A look at Draco told me that he was in one of his 'corporate demon' moods as I liked to refer to them.

The kind where he would think that the world was at his feet – _scratch that, he thinks that anyway. _

"Ah, you again, Weasel!" Blaise exclaimed grinning brightly as he noticed my silent entry into Draco's cabin. –"Are you stalking me or something?"

"You know Blaise, I could say the same for you." I retorted back, raising my eyebrows in a very Slytherin manner- a trait I picked up from Draco.

"Touche." He winked at me, sexily as I rolled my eyes to myself. _Typical Blaise._

I had known him for a very short time now, but he was always like that in Hogwarts.

"If you are done, hitting on my best friend, Ginny. May I ask what is it that has brought you to my cabin?" Draco interrupted our little joke fest on a dangerous note.

His tone reminded me of beloved Professor Snape whenever I was caught talking during Potions class. Which was rather often, might I add.

He looked absolutely ticked off and somehow his anger was directed towards me. I blanched inwardly, _did I do something wrong?_

Was it the way I looked? I looked down to what I was wearing – a muggle baby pink silk blouse with the typical a-line corporate skirt, pointed leather pumps. Topping it off with a white cloak and a small, simple pearl necklace that Mikayla had gotten me from Bulgaria and a light make-up charm.

I thought I looked pretty good.

-"I had left instructions at the reception that under any circumstances, I am not to be disturbed today, unless if the sky has fallen or something implausible has occurred. So tell me, what is it that has you standing here before me, Ginny?" His mercury eyes pierced my soul with its glare. It was like looking in the face of lightning.

_Instructions at the desk. Reception. _I scanned my head trying to remember who had been on duty at the counter today. Audrina. _Bitch_.

"Er…"I began to explain my reason for intruding-which, mind you was probably terribly lame under his scrutiny.

"Yes?" He prodded on, coldly.

"I…." I stopped, looking at him awkwardly.-"had nothing to do. Everything has been done." I finished lamely.

"Deal with it. Now get out!" Draco's voice lowered sounding dangerously venomous. As though he might avada me if I did not walk out this very instant.

"Dray-" Blaise started with a warning tone, inclining on the fact that Draco might just be stepping over his line.

I stopped him. –"Oh, so sorry Sir. Excuse me for interrupting while you have a stick up your ass. I'll be out of your hair, now." I stomped out of the office furiously.

He was so infuriating sometimes with all that arrogance, superiority and sometimes it was as though he was the nicest person on the planet. _He has personality problems._ I decided as I grabbed my satchel.

I was in need of comfort food right now. Diagon Alley was the nearest place to satisfy my needs and so I headed over to the Leaky Cauldron to order myself a piping hot plate of fish and chips. Maybe a Cherry Martini.

_Drinking on the job. Trashy._

"Long time, Miss Ginny." Tom the Bartender greeted me with a toothy grin as I entered the pub.

"Good to see you too, Tom, I will have the usual and top it off with one of your fried fish specials, please. " I said, pleasantly.

"Your drink has been paid for, Miss Ginny." Tom informed me as he served my drink to me a couple of minutes later.

"Why?" I was puzzled; Cherry Martini had never been a free drink of the day at this pub. Or at any others. Nobody liked cherries as much I did or rather cherry flavoured martinis.

"With compliments from that lady right there." He implied slyly.

Mother of Merlin! I have always had men buying me complimentary drinks, never a woman.

_Was he trying to imply that I was a lesbian? Or I just got hit on by one. Or that a lesbian tried to buy me a drink. _

I turned to look right at where he pointed to.

There sat, none other than my best friend, Channy herself waggling her eyebrows at me cheekily.

I screamed loud enough for the entire pub to quieten and threw myself right over to her table.

"CHANNY! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS." I shrieked pulling her into a hug.

"GINNY!" She hugged me back so tightly; I was almost unable to breathe.

Once the pub had realised that it was nothing but a reunion between two friends, everyone carried on with their own business.

Chanina Giovanni, the third and remaining member of my best friend trio in Hogwarts. Full-time Gryffindor, she was a pureblood Italian and a gorgeous one at that. She had hair that was black as ebony, straight with bangs, a very Cleopatra look, olive skin tone with a fabulous complexion and chocolate brown eyes.

Her family was a prominent member of the pureblood society, almost as influential as the Malfoys and Zabinis. They mainly comprised of Ravenclaws, and much to her family's disgust, she had ended up in Gryffindor thus being the black sheep.

Recently though, she relocated to Italy in vain attempts to fix things with her family but only realised that she could only end the feud with marriage to an affluent man. That is where I came into the picture.

For Christmas, I gifted her a Howler that implied that she and I were together. That Howler caused uproar in a party that the Giovanni's had thrown in lieu of Christmas. It was also an announcement of her engagement to someone. The Giovanni's were furious at their societal humiliation by their youngest daughter, the wild child and hence decided to cut ties with her.

Therefore, now she was back in the UK and currently renting a room in Diagon Alley.

"Couldn't you write to me? I was stuck alone in the Burrow for an entire month!" I wailed at her stupidity.

"I didn't want to trouble you, besides its okay! I'm fine here. Just running low on supplies and money." Her trust fund, issued by her parents was revoked as well.

"How is the place, though?" I asked quietly knowing that she would not be very comfortable living in a small room.

"It's perfect for short term" She grimaced knowing that the time she had stayed here had not been short at all.

-"Tom is letting me help out a little around here you know. I'm the bartender, sometimes." She said, proudly.

"This martini is the bomb then." I said, taking a sip.

"It doesn't pay much though. The men love me despite my horrible concoctions." She sighed.

"Okay, so there are two problems, a job and a place to stay." _A job._

_A job._

_Ping!_ It was as though a bell rang in my head, _a job._

Back at work, Narcissa was in dire need of a new secretary. I hated just about half the things she did, but now it struck me. Who better to do the job than someone who not just knows how it works but actually enjoys it? What made it a billion times better was the fact that the person was none other than my own best friend.

The responsibility to find Narcissa a new secretary was entrusted to me by Draco. I was absolutely sure that Channy would do a brilliant job. She had the patience, the tolerance and the power to deal with the faux problems of the high society.

"I just had the most bloody brilliant idea of my life," I stated excitedly and proceeded to tell her everything.

When I was done, Channy gaped at me for an entire minute and then she shrieked in joy.

"WOW, this is so exciting! We'll be working together! And the pay is good too!" She stood up and hugged me.

And then she screamed a second time in realisation, "GOODNESS, GINNY! YOU HAVE THE HOTS FOR YOUR BOSS!" And then I got the life squeezed out of me.

-"AND HE IS DRACO SMOKIN' HOT MALFOY."

"Very subtle, Chan." I stated sarcastically as we had a gained quite an audience in the pub.

She laughed, "Who cares! I'm just really happy to have my best friend back."

"Me too." I said, genuinely meaning it. She told everyone that her trip to Italy was merely a vacation but she was trying to make amends for all the flaws she never had.

Only I knew the truth.

"Do you think I look fine?" She asked me worriedly.

Channy wore a mustard yellow blouse with acid wash denim jeans and sandals. She looked great, as though she had just gone for a shopping trip.

"You look great!" I assured her. Yellow was truly her colour, very few people in this world according to me were blessed with the ability to look good in yellow. She was one of them.

Bringing her back to work with me, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive as I had deliberately omitted the fact that Draco had lost his temper with me today. My relationship with Draco was not as clear cut as I would like it to be.

Sometimes I felt as though he liked me more than he think he should but other times he treated me as though I was a piece of dirt. Like today for instance, _did I mention Multiple Personality Disorder much?_

"You think I'll pass the interview? I've never ever been for one before." Channy informed me nervously.

"Woman, you've already gotten the job. It's just standard protocol that I inform my boss and he will leave a notice for his mother." Or just inform her over the dinner table, however it is that they communicated.

"Oh…" Apparently, the little piece of information had just sunk in.

I knocked softly once again on his cabin door, mustering up all the attitude that I could even though honestly I was scared.

Before I could give up, I forced myself to open the door and once again I was greeted by the very same picture of Draco and Blaise at their respective places.

Draco had an album of what looked like photographs of different places and he was taking a look at them. Blaise was doodling on a piece of paper, probably waiting for Draco to give his opinion.

They had yet to notice me.

Briefly, I cleared my throat. –"Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make."

I paused for a dramatically grand effect as they stared at me in surprise. Looking at Draco directly in the eyes, -"I have found you a replacement secretary who will take my place."

I guess that I had chosen an inauspicious time to announce that little piece of news because Blaise had chosen that very moment to drink water. Water, which was no longer in his throat.

He spat it out in surprise, spraying some of the files on Draco's table with his DNA.

Draco glared at him in disgust and muttered a Cleaning Spell.

-"She is outside. Shall I call her in?" I asked.

Both Draco and Blaise stared at me in utter bewilderment. –"Surely, you can't be serious?" Blaise managed.

-"I mean, Draco wasn't even that mean. He was just jea-" Draco's glare silenced Blaise.

"What do you mean by finding a replacement? You cannot just leave, you have signed a contract!" Draco slammed the album shut in outrage.

I glanced at both of them in disbelief. I was utterly confused, puzzled, confounded….

"What on earth are the both of you talking about?" I finally managed when my brain did not catch the buzz of the topic they were on.

"We are talking about you finding a replacement for yourself. You signed a contract, Ginny. How are you going to weasel your way out of this one? No pun intended." Blaise looked at me apologetically.

"Replacement?" I scoffed, still not understanding.

"You are resigning?"Blaise hinted.

"Who the hell told you that?" I flared up immediately. _Stupid bitch, Audrina. Always going around and spreading rumours about everybody._

"Didn't you?" Blaise asked confusedly. He looked adorable when he was puzzled. It was a sight.

I tried to make sense out of the nonsense they just shared with me. Finally I understood.

I had not made it clear who the replacement was for.

"Oh…." It dawned upon me. –"The replacement means, a replacement for me being Narcissa's secretary you doofus! Why would I resign?"

Continuing -"Sure, Draco tends to get a stick stuck up in his ass sometimes, but hey! I love my job." I shrugged casually.

"I am still present here in case you did not realise." Draco reminded clearly irritated by my conversation with Blaise.

-"I found Narcissa a very competent, reliable replacement. Would the both of you like to be introduced to her?" I asked as I made way to call Channy in.

"Sure." Blaise replied while Draco nodded his head shortly, still irate.

"Chan. Come inside." I called out to her as loudly as I could.

"Chan huh? Is she Chinese?" Blaise wondered as he twirled his wand while shooting sparks with it.

"Nope. She is just like you, Italian. Well, pure Italian." I corrected myself when I remembered Blaise's semi-Italian bloodline thanks to Lucius Malfoy.

A knock at the door and my best friend walked in trying to look like the diva of the day. She was definitely not in her zone, I decided.

"Hello there." Blaise greeted her flirtatiously as he shamelessly checked her out from head to foot.

She glanced at him for a second before she realised who he was.

Blaise Zabini, the man whom she had a crush on from fourth year, probably still did. I forgot to mention that he was present in the office over lunch.

"Hey yourself!" She recovered nicely from her own session of checking him out while giving me a very pointed look.

"This…" I gestured towards her,-"is Chanina Giovanni. My best friend and Narcissa's new secretary."

Both Draco and Blaise stood up and greeted her in their own respective styles. Blaise, a light peck on her cheek and Draco a rather formal handshake.

"The Chanina Giovanni from that party at Christmas?" Blaise recalled thoughtfully sounding amazingly interested in her.

-"You're a lesbian aren't you?" He added completely adding more awkwardness to the situation. Her own crush was asking her if she was lesbian.

If Draco did that to me, I'd probably jump out the first window I see.

Channy on the other hand handled it with style.

"Maybe." She replied clearly flirting with him. _Game on sister._

"I like." Blaise replied, the hot feelings definitely mutual.

SomehowI had a feeling that I would be seeing him around more often than before.

"Good for you."

I watched their banter, back and forth like a tennis match. Draco chose the right moment to clear his throat.

There was pin drop silence in the entire cabin as Channy blushed and Blaise smirked in all his glory.

I had this urge to laugh hysterically at the awkwardness of situation.

Draco took charge. –"I look forward to seeing you around, Chanina. It's a pleasure to see you after Hogwarts, indeed."

_Did I mention 'corporate-demon'?_

-"Blaise, would you like to give Chanina here a tour of the empire. I would like to speak with Ginny, alone." He emphasized a lot on the last bit.

Blaise gave him a grateful look. He grabbed Channy's hand and sauntered his way out of the cabin. I could just imagine the stunned silence that Channy was going through right now.

Draco did that sometimes.

There was silence for a full minute after they left. I watched Draco continue flipping through the album though not really looking at it.

"If you really do wish to speak to me..You can start now." I mentioned not trying to tread onto his wrong side.

"I… i….." Draco paused, unsure of how he should continue.

"Go on." I rolled my eyes. Ironic how exactly an hour or two ago, I was stuck in a similar position. Karma worked in such magically amazing ways.

"Sorry." He blurted out, looking awkward and cute.

_Did I just say cute?_ _Draco Malfoy never looked cute. He always looked roguishly sexy, too good to be true. _

The truth was, he did. He looked lost, like a little boy. I had the insane urge to throw myself in his arms. Instead I decided to torture him a little bit more.

"What did you say?" I demanded, impatiently.

"You heard me." Draco was back to his old ways.

"Say it again." I retorted right back at his face.

He stood up, walked right over to where I was standing. Currently, the distance between us could be measure within centimetres. If I leaned back, I would be on Draco, that's how close we were standing beside each other.

The air was tense, I could feel his cool breath on my neck and it gave me goosebumps. Leaning forward such that his lips were merely a touch away from my ear, he whispered.

"I'm sorry."

_Damn you to hell Draco. Why are you so hot?_

* * *

**This is the longest chapter that I have written in a while. Thank holidays for that.**

**Chanina is pronounced as Sha-ni-na, for those who don't know. She is actually a brief inspiration of my best friend in reality who watched me type this entire chapter on Skype (still watching! love you my kushipoo). Sid Umralkrov is an inspiration of her little brother who is my little Britannica. Thought that I should share that random trivia with you guys!(:**

** Thanks for the love with the reviews. I really, truly appreciate them. Honestly. **

**So make my day and review please!(: XOXO**


	18. Chapter 18 Envy & All that Jazz

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 18. Envy & All that Jazz**

* * *

"I had no idea that people who attended these tea parties were so arrogant and stuck up." Channy sighed tiredly as she put her head down on my table to rest.

"Now you know what I've had to put up with." I raised my eyebrows at her pointedly, as I examined a contract that Draco was currently in process of signing with another company.

"Yes madam and I salute you for that. Two jobs at once! I'm exhausted by the time the day ends. Oh wait, I already am." Channy moaned.

"Once again, welcome to my world."

"Shut up."

Choosing to ignore my best friend's unusual bout of crankiness I decided to enquire about the tea party.

-"So, how was the tea party?" I enquired casually. Surely, she had done a better job than me and she was definitely dressed for it.

She raised her head and thought about it for a moment. –"It was disastrous, though not for me. I had a blast. Blaise came by you know."

_Ah, Blaise came by._

I smirked at her, "Ah, so that's why it was good."

"Oh no…"-She replied, probably not at all catching my implication. –"It was actually going terrible. You remember our classmate, Astoria? From Potions? Her mother…"

"Mrs Greengrass?" I interrupted confirming.

"Yep, that one. She is such an old bitch. There is really nothing nice to mention about her!" Channy looked absolutely annoyed, and with reason. I didn't blame her.

I nodded my head in agreement.

-"She treated me like I'm a social pariah." She sniffed, disgusted with the behaviour of the aristocrats.

Continuing, -"She kept taunting me on my sexual preference. Not that I care, but still. And when Blaise dropped by, she went all cougar on him. Thank all the gods out there that he dropped by. I tried to ignore him, play hard to get. But when he asked me how my day was. I told him everything."

She looked as though she was going to cry with gratitude over Blaise's concern for her.

"No one has ever asked me that…." When I cleared my throat, she added. "Except for you of course!"

"And then, when I told him everything. Over tea, somehow, he managed to pour Wasabi sauce in Mrs Greengrass's tea" My eyes widened.

"It was a sight!" She smiled at the memory. –"Narcissa was not that amused though. She knew it was Blaise."

"I love Blaise." I declared just as Draco walked into my cabin.

"Great. I shall let him know of your sudden sprout of undying love for my best friend." He commented dryly.

"Uh… Not like that…" I stammered, blood rushing to my cheeks. –"I just meant…"

"Doesn't really matter…" He shut me off just like that. I felt as though someone pinched me, hard. I looked at him with a hurt expression - _why was he being so mean to me?_

We hadn't had a proper conversation from the time that Channy had joined Malfoy Empire. Roughly around five days now.

_What had I done wrong? _

_Did someone poison his mind against me? Audrina?_

I had a sudden paranoid imagination of Draco and Audrina being intimate and it sickened me. Shuddering to myself, I stood up deciding that I needed some fresh air to be able to think properly. Reading all these Acts stated in the contract was making my mind fuzzy.

On my way out of Malfoy Empire, you would never guess who I met.

_Blaise._

_You genius!_

"Hey Gin!" He greeted me warmly embracing me into a warm, friendly hug.

He looked really handsome today, wearing a navy blue, long-sleeved v-neck sweater and casual jeans with sneakers. His hair was all mussed up thanks to the wind, giving him a boyish, 'I-just-got-out-of-bed' look.

Seeing him, I was vaguely reminded of my statement and Draco's abrupt dismissal earlier. It still stung.

"Blaise!" I smiled right back. He had a really infectious smile.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked me, surprised. Office hours had yet to be over.

"Need fresh air." I shrugged, waving the file I held in my hand. –"They might as well write this in Greek."

-"You want some help with that?" Blaise offered kindly. He looked slightly disappointed when I had mentioned that office hours had not ended yet.

-"Nope, I am good. Draco is having a conference which should be over….."- I glanced quickly at my leather strapped watch –"Within the next ten minutes or so."

Blaise looked rather guilty. "Oh that's okay. I'm not here to see Draco. I think he is sick of me hanging around. I might drop in though. I'm here to see….." He paused.

"Channy?" I guessed, a little too brightly for my own good.

He looked even guiltier, confirming my guess. Well_, at least somebody's love life was working out if not mine._

I chuckled remembering the Wasabi incident that Channy had narrated to me earlier.

"Great job with Mrs Greengrass, mate. I cannot even bring myself to feel remotely sorry for her." I smiled wickedly.

He smirked – _Such a Slytherin _– clearly proud of himself.

"Definitely worth the tongue-lashing I received." He was referring to Narcissa.

I shook my head. Blaise was such an imp.

"You're no better." He teased. – "Nina told me that you sent her that Howler during the party. She finally confessed that she wasn't actually … well, not straight."

I probably forgot to mention, I was the only person in the world who could refer to Chanina Giovanni as Channy. Everyone else knew her by Nina. Channy was the nickname created to rhyme with Ginny.

_Don't judge, we were twelve._

"Well, she wanted me to. So I did." I shrugged as though breaking off her alliance with a prominent someone was of no big deal to me.

Remembering the reason that he was here for, I approached the matter casually trying to dig in for more info.

_Channy will definitely thank me for this, later._

"So…Channy, huh? You interested?" I casually wondered.

Blaise took a moment to think before he replied. I could tell that he was seriously thinking his answer through before he said anything.

"I am… to be frank. She is really interesting. Not at all like those high society girls. Stuck up and prissy. Nope." He smiled a little… his thoughts definitely on Channy.

"Want me to put in a good word for you?" I teased.

"Sure." He answered, to my surprise. –"She hardly seems interested which makes her all the more intriguing. Drives me crazy to know what's on her mind. And she is hot!"

_Interested? Oh dude, if only you could read minds right now._ I briefly reflected back to all the times she had spent swooning over Blaise back at Hogwarts.

If Channy knew what Blaise thought of her, she will definitely go crazy. Shortly, I imagined her screaming and jumping around in my cabin. Mentally, I noted that I might have to place a Silencing Charm in my cabin when I broke the news to her.

"She thinks you are cool." I replied... _And smart, dashing, rakish, divine, romantic…_

Blaise sighed, "Just cool? First time someone has blatantly dismissed me. There was you, but you have the hots for my best friend so that does not count."

_What? I stared at him in shock. How in the world did he know that? _

He misread my stare. "Oh wait! You HAD the hots for my best friend. You are with that Potter bloke now."

_What the hell?_

"Potter?" I managed after failing at trying to put the pieces together in my head.

"Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived to Defeat Voldemort? Your boyfriend. C'mon, you wrote him that Valentine…." I shushed him before he chose to recite the cheesiest, corniest poem ever written.

"I am with Potter? I mean, Harry?" I finally processed everything. –"How the hell did you come up with that?"

Now it was Blaise's turn to be puzzled. He studied me bemusedly.

"We saw you together the other day at King Neptune's. You were hugging and kissing…" He informed me as I had a flashback of the time where Harry and I were walking down the official streets of Corporate Alley.

_We?_

"Who is in this _we_ that you speak of?" I asked, slightly irate.

"Draco…" Blaise replied impatiently, looking at me as though I was a mere toddler who had yet to understand the complexities of the English language.

Continuing, -"Pity you are with Potter. I was hoping that I could ask Nina out and then we could double-date and get to know each other. Draco – You, Nina and I."

I was silent, processing each and every word he had said. My mind raced to a panic when I realised that Draco thought that I was no longer single.

_Merlin! Draco thinks that I am with Harry! Crap! How am I going to clear this with him when he is behaving so coldly towards me?_

I practically wailed mentally.

Something chose that very moment to occur to me. _Was that why Draco was behaving so antagonistically towards me?_

"Blaise?" I phrased my question very carefully.

-"Is that why Draco is behaving with me as though I … Oh I don't know. Like that?"

_Some way of phrasing that question, huh?_

Thankfully Blaise seemed to understand what I had meant.

He looked rather amazed in fact, peering at me thoughtfully.

"You know, I am amazed that you have understood Draco's emotions in such a short period of time."

That sentence confirmed my dilemma.

Draco was hostile with me because of Harry.

-"Draco is rather… attached to you, you see. He doesn't like to share… If I really have to put it that way. And not with Potter at the very least. Really, Gin? Potter?"

Draco was jealous of Harry.

The thought of that made me feel all warm and fluttery inside. I could not stop myself from feeling pleased at it. Apparently that much was evident on my face.

"Are you crazy, Gin? You like Draco and Potter!" Blaise exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

I nearly slapped him. "What kind of tart do you think I am? I like Draco! Bleeding idiot!"

-"Harry is with Luna! You know, Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw? He walked me the other day to confess because he thought that I would mind since Lu is my best friend! Ughh… Men are so frustrating. Always jumping to conclusions!" I sighed frustrated at the end.

_How on earth am I supposed to clear that little seed of doubt that was planted in Draco's mind? _

"Oh…" Blaise stopped, thinking for a moment and then burst out laughing.

I glared at him as hard as I could. This was not at all funny.

"You've got yourself in a right mess, Gin!" He managed to get that much out in the midst of his laughter.

_Oh well, only I could do that._

"Not funny, Blaise." I said as a hint of a smile began gathering on my face.

It did seem kind of funny though, now that I thought of it. The situation was something that would most likely end up on a sitcom or a muggle romantic comedy.

My life did seem like a drama series. I guess writers got inspired by people like me. Such things do happen in real life.

After joining Blaise, laughing at the story of my life, I felt much lighter.

"So what are we going to do now?" Trying to make sense of the statutes and other documentation present in that file were long forgotten.

"You mean what are you going to do, right?" Blaise corrected me wearing a mischievous smile.

He wanted something that much was confirmed.

"You are not going to help your friend become your future sister-in-law?" I gave him the most heartbreaking expression that I could ever come up with.

"Okay! Okay! I will. Just don't look at me like that. It's… creepy. It makes my heart… melt." Blaise shuddered and pulled his gaze away.

I smiled triumphantly. The power of the pouty face! No one could resist it.

"Great! So…What's the plan?" I asked brightly.

Blaise look thoughtful for a minute before he finally answered.

"Go to Draco's cabin exactly an hour before office hours are over. Leave the rest to me."

"Why do I get a bad feeling about this?" I narrowed my eyes, sceptical of his plans.

"Don't." He assured me. With a glint in his eyes, "It's the perfect plan; just agree with everything that I say, later."

Talking to Blaise had pretty much taken up whatever time I had taken out to go for that walk so I had no choice but to return. On the bright side, my mind was crystal clear and everything started to make sense. I was eager for the last hour but at the same time nervous.

Draco had the ability to make you feel like a Queen at one minute and then like a bag of dirt at the next.

The time had come. I smoothed out any creases on my dress and adjusted my hair. I wore a really simple sleeveless black dress to work today with plain cut out grey heels.

Knocking softly on his door, I entered his cabin. Draco looked right up at me expressionlessly. It didn't occur to me earlier but today, we matched. He was wearing a black suit with a grey t-shirt/sweater? I could hardly tell. The grey highlighted his eyes and as usual, he looked dashing.

"Draco….Er…Sir?" I began, unsure if I had lost my rights as to addressing him by his name.

-"I have read and scrutinized every inch of the contract, it is fair and within our budget. You can proceed with the signing." I placed the file on his table.

"What makes you think that I haven't already signed it?" Draco raised his eyebrows at me questioningly.

"The fact that you made me read the entire contract to check whether it is secure and safe for the empire…" I paused knowing that he had signed the contract and all my efforts had simply gone in vain.

"I had the privilege of signing the contract during my conference this afternoon."

_WHY IS HE BEING SO FORMAL WITH ME? And he signed the contract! WHERE IS MY WAND?_

I felt so stumped. Almost depressed… and really angry.

Before I could react or even open my mouth to say anything, Blaise entered the cabin.

"Draco! Hey mate!" He greeted his best mate cheerfully. –"Gin!" He pretended as though I had not met him at the entrance of Malfoy Empire.

I smiled at him - common sense told me that now was not the perfect time to get zealous with Blaise.

"Blaise…What are you doing here, mate?" Draco greeted his friend briefly. He was definitely not in the best of moods right now.

"Photo shoot finished ages ago and I got bored…Am I interrupting something?" He waggled his eyebrows at Draco implying that we might have just been engaging in….

_Okay that makes me sound like a complete prude. _

Draco gave him an irritated, snobbish look. "No. We are done here." He said, meaning that I should leave.

I was about to leave when Blaise stopped me. "What are you doing? Don't screw this up!"

Clearing his throat loudly-"Ginny, babe? Hang on would you. Do you have any plans for tonight?"

I scrutinized Blaise's movements to see if he will give me the signal. He shook his head inconspicuously.

"Er….No." I guessed looking at him for help.

"Fantastic! Let's all have dinner together! There is this new club in town. Let's go check it out. I have to cover it as well." Blaise said brightly, looking cheerful at the prospect of having company whilst at work.

Have I ever mentioned that Blaise is a freelance photographer? A jack of all trades, he is a very well-known photographer in the fashion world.

Draco looked at him as though he was a baby mandrake. "Mate, I have to finish up…." Before he could finish that sentence, Blaise cut him. Their conversation was over before I could catch anything.

Draco walked out of the room and I turned to Blaise.

"Guess what, Ginny? Nina is coming too." He looked rather pleased with himself.

"You are not really helping me are you?" I guessed. If that was the case, I was going to be royally pissed off with Blaise.

"I'm killing two birds with one stone. You'll see and you will thank me later. Now go and pretty up!" He ordered.

Huffing, I went back to my own cabin in which I met Channy.

"Guess what?" She squealed excitedly. –"Blaise asked me out to dinner at this new club!"

"He asked me too." I replied absent-mindedly trying to figure out what Blaise had meant when he said that he was killing two birds with one stone.

"WHAT?" Channy shrieked.

"Oh yeah, Draco and I are going to be your chaperones." I said sarcastically.

"Tell me everything!" She demanded.

I filled her right in and she seemed more than enthusiastic to help Blaise out in his _'masterplan'_.

I wasn't sure what else to expect apart from disaster.

The new club, The Dubloon was posh and hip, made for the rich and young to socialize. Dinners were normally not held in clubs but this place was rather different. There was a restaurant on the rooftop of the building and a live band playing sophisticated jazz music. The dance club area was indoors alongside the bar. There was another on the rooftop level.

All in all, it was really fancy.

I was glad that my simple black dress was good enough to get me inside. I don't know what Blaise would have done if that had happened. Channy as usual was dressed to her best, a white mini dress with black triangles and stilettos. The dress had been designed for office wear but I knew for a fact that Channy had shortened it.

We were encouraged by Blaise to order alcohol so I ordered my favourite, Cherry Martini.

"Honestly, Ginny… Why don't you order something else? This cocktail looks really good." She pointed to this strange looking cocktail on the menu whose name I was not even sure how to pronounce. She had ordered herself a Pina Colada.

Meanwhile, both Blaise and Draco had order a bottle of Firewhiskey. I vaguely heard Draco warning Blaise.

"Don't make me regret this, mate."

To which Blaise replied in all his cheeky glory, "Oh you'll be thanking me later, mate."

Channy and Draco made conversation over the various destinations that they had travelled to over the last couple of years. It was surprisingly friendly. I felt a tinge of envy when I realised that his antagonism was only directed towards me.

Blaise excused himself and walked off but not before nudging me under the table. I guessed that his signal was for me to follow him. I waited for a few minutes before I followed. Draco and Channy were so absorbed in discussing the perks of travelling to Seville, Spain that they did not acknowledge the fact that I had left the table.

I sighed to myself. This evening was starting to get gloomy.

A hand reached out and grabbed me from the corner.

"What the hell, Blaise?" I glowered at him for the stunt he just pulled.

"Anyone ever told you that you are a terrible actress, Ginny?" He grinned.

"Shut up, Blaise." I frowned, annoyed.

"We're going to go back to the dinner table and you are going to talk about your personal life with Nina." He commanded, looking determined.

"Okay." I shrugged. My life was an open book apart from the fact that my boss is Draco Malfoy, I had no other secrets.

_Oh and that I had a major crush on him. _

Back at the table, Channy and Draco were currently discussing Egypt. _I had been there too._

I remembered the amazing time I had right after the Chamber of Secrets incident. I had jumped back fit and fine, forgiven myself and all that.

Blaise joined in the conversation too, diverting it to the investment and stock market part. The part that was practically Sanskrit to Channy and me. He kicked me, hard under the table and I stared at him furiously trying to prevent my eyes from watering.

"Are you okay, Gin?" Channy elbowed me, concerned. Clearly, while trying to absorb the pain from the nasty kick, I had zoned out.

"Huh? Oh sorry. What were you saying?" I asked her.

"I said…We should have one of our girl's night out soon! This place is great to catch up and party at the same time. Hmmm… Any idea when is Luna returning?" She took a sip of her drink.

"No clue. I could ask Harry though. He knows best." I had a sudden inkling as to where this conversation was headed to. Channy winked at me.

"Why would you ask Harry?" She pretended to look confused.

"Harry and Luna are together. Wouldn't Harry know best?" I shrugged casually trying hard not to overact.

Channy gasped dramatically causing Draco and Blaise to stop their discussion and look at her.

"What? Harry and Luna are together? When? Why? How?" She exclaimed, looking extremely shocked.

Pretending that I hadn't realised that we had the attention of the boys, I filled her right in.

"Wait a minute. Potter and Lovegood are together?" Blaise interrupted. I nodded my head, confirming this fact.

"Harry confirmed it the other day when he walked me to Corporate Alley." I answered related the accounts of what had occurred.

"Awww….I'm so happy for them."Channy smiled.

_Mission accomplished._

Both Blaise and Draco looked at each other. For a second there, Draco looked relieved but then his expression changed to one of guilt.

Dinner was done. Over the meal, we skimmed through other topics which kept everything casual and fun. Draco kept silent though. The conversation was mainly dominated by Channy and Blaise with occasional inputs from me.

"This place is really nice, don't you think?" Channy asked me as we gathered our items. I nodded my head in agreement. This place felt a lot more pleasant than it had in the beginning.

We had an argument over the bill, eventually Blaise paid for it.

"I don't even know why you try to argue. You should know that it's not going to happen right?" Blaise said in referral to our little battle over the bill.

"Independent women always pay their own bills." Channy sniffed, indignant.

"A gentleman always pays for the bills. Especially with a lady." Blaise replied, charming the pants off Channy.

I bet this month's salary that Channy was swooning inside.

He held the door for both of us as we walked out.

"Nina, if you would allow me….May I escort you home?" He requested sounding truly charming and concerned.

Channy's eyes widened and she squeezed my hand, "Sure, Blaise. Walking down the streets of Diagon Alley can get rather scary at this hour."

I looked at my wristwatch, time had flown so fast. It was indeed, late.

"I guess I'll head off to the Point." I said, referring to the place where I would apparate to the Burrow.

I hugged Channy and wished her a soft good luck.

And then I hugged Blaise who whispered, "Thank me later."

"Good…." I turned to bid Draco but got cut instead.

"I am walking you to the Point." He said. I knew it was pointless to protest.

Secretly though, I was pleased. The walk there could get really quiet and dark. Not something I particularly enjoyed.

We walked slowly in awkward silence. I felt comforted by Draco's presence. The air was cold; it was a rather chilly night.

I shivered, wishing that I had brought my leather jacket or a shawl with me.

Attempting to take out my wand from my hand bag was pointless because I would probably lose it thanks to constant shivering. I shuddered from the cold once more before I was wrapped in …..Draco's coat.

"Wear it. You are freezing." He insisted.

_Who am I to deny such a request?_ I thought to myself dramatically.

My heart fluttered like it usually did whenever Draco did something like this. I could feel my insides glowing with that little joy one had when one's crush did something nice for them.

I had dreamt of this moment for so long.

"Thanks." I wrapped it around me, further like a huge blanket inhaling his scent. A combination of musk and citrus.

"You were cold." That was his way of acknowledging my thanks.

The silence between us continued until Draco broke it.

"Ginny?" His voice pulled me from enjoying the warmth and comfort of his coat. And the dreams that it brought with it.

"Hmm?" I responded, dreamily.

"I've been saying this often lately especially to you. In fact, only to you… I'm sorry." He sounded really apologetic and sincere.

"No harm done. Except for the contract part…. Do you know how long it took me to understand that?" At first, I was soft about it, but remembering what he did with the contract made me blow.

"I didn't want you taking half day…." He muttered. _If only there was enough_ _light_, the street ones were too dim. I would love to see his expression right now.

"Why Draco?" I asked, wanting to hear the reason from his mouth.

He hesitated. This was the second time that I had seen Draco so uncomfortable. It was adorable.

-"Does it have anything to do with the reason why you've been mean to me for the last couple of days?"

"I was being selfish. Let's just leave it at that. And yes." He admitted.

I stopped in the middle of the road and did something I never thought that I would have done.

I threw myself in his arms on a complete impulse and gave him a big, tight hug. My body was pressed against his hard muscles. His body was like the Placebo effect, I felt safe, warm, protected and happy.

Initially it was awkward because he probably was too shocked to return the gesture. When he did, I felt as though I was on fire with his hands around my waist. He hugged me tight too, protectively. It was as though I belonged to him and him only.

I pulled away, my eyes meeting his under the dim light. His hand still lingered on my head.

"Next time Draco, please ask." I touched his cheek gently.

This night had taught me so much more than I had ever expected.

He never said it and he didn't have to because I knew. He liked me too.

* * *

**There you go! An update! **

**I'm so excited to read your reviews for this chapter so please review and let me know what you think ASAP! **

**Lastly, wishing one of my anonymous reviewers a very Happy Birthday! You know who you are! **

**Once again – thanks for everything! XOXO**


	19. Chapter 19 Draco & The Grand Invitation

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 19. Draco and The Grand Invitation**

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**Draco's POV:**

_This is ridiculous!_ I flipped through the sales report filled with inconsistent records and errors. If I had to read another page, I'd find the person who had the audacity to construct and present the accumulated sales report to me and torture him with the Cruciatus curse.

Today, I was not at all in the mood to endure nonsense from anyone, even the almighty. I rubbed my head and sighed tiredly; suffering from migraines was absolutely terrible.

"Good morning Dra…..! Uh oh…." Ginny started to greet me enthusiastically but stopped when she saw my pained expression.

-"Migraines?" She lowered her tone considerably, still sounding cheerful. Before I could respond, I looked up to see the door of my cabin being lightly shut.

In a trace, she was back with a tray that was… piled with …. Goodness knows what.

She set the tray down quietly on the glass coffee table in my cabin.

"Come here." She gestured for me to sit down on the black leathered sofa in a no-nonsense tone.

I was far too fatigued to put up a fight like I'd usually would. Her expression deepened with concern when she realised that I was not going to protest.

"Drink this." She handed me a goblet filled with a potion specially built to combat severe headaches. It looked disgusting and tasted no better, in fact, I imagined that it matched the taste of the ordinary human waste.

I shuddered in disgust at the taste and texture of the potion. Ginny handed me another goblet, iced pumpkin juice which I gratefully accepted to get rid of the awfulness of the potion. Though nauseating, I could feel the starting effects of consuming the potent potion.

"You haven't had your breakfast." She inferred that it was a statement and not a question. She fussed over me, insisting that I eat my breakfast which she had taken out the time to bring.

I watched her appreciatively as she buttered a bagel with cream cheese. Moments like these made me thankful to have Ginny as my secretary. She was efficient, she seemed to be able to identify my moods, not to mention – she was quite easy on the eyes.

Observing her, I wondered which fool stated that pink did not suit redheads. Ginny looked pretty in a light beige-pink dress and a redundant white sweater. Her hair was pinned up in a half-ponytail.

It was amazing how well we got along now, almost as though we never had a family feud or I did not test her patience. We had our fair share of differences in opinions. She was different. Unpredictable, random, adorable, caring…. I had grown attached to her, maybe more than that.

"What are you looking at?" She grew self-conscious, touching her head and looking down at her attire to see if she had made any absent-minded mistakes.

"You look good today." I complimented her, smirking when I was greeted by a beautiful blush.

"Yeah…"She rolled her brown eyes though visibly pleased at the compliment –"Thanks."

"I only speak the truth." I shrugged.

"Anyway…."She cleared her throat, clearly changing the topic probably because she didn't want me to make her more flustered than she already was. I smiled knowing that I had the ability to affect her. I rather enjoyed it in fact.

-"Have you viewed the sales report yet? I left it on your table yesterday after…." My expression darkened, remembering the ridiculous contents of the report.

"Oh yes. I'd like you to do something for me." I casted the Summoning Charm and caught the file.

"Sure?" Ginny looked at me questioningly.

"Fire whoever came up with this piece of rubbish. And give whoever the remains." Without another word, I set fire to the file using my wand and watched as the godawful document burnt to ashes.

-"I want to see a new report within the next four hours. I'm handing temporary responsibility to you. You can get Blaise to give you the accounts."

-"Oh and thank you for the potion." I smiled at her gently. She bit her lip, deep in thought. Probably wondering how was she going to get her assigned work done.

Something that I really admired about Ginny, no matter how challenging the task was, she wouldn't complain. Not in the beginning at the very least, she would attempt till she knew it was beyond her power or understanding.

It was really too bad that we hardly had time to get to know each other more personally due to work. I'd love to get to know her both physically and mentally.

I tucked in a loose strand behind her ear and moved off.

Immersed in my work, the arrival of my best mate and half-brother, Blaise informed me that time had indeed flown by.

"Hey Draco! What's crackin?" Blaise greeted me as he walked in freely clutching a couple of envelopes. –"I brought your mail along with me. You have got quite the pile, mate."

"Always making yourself feel at home wherever you are." I replied drily, having been distracted from what I had been working on.

"You know me so well." Blaise grinned lazily as he leaned back on his chair, directly opposite me.

-"Anyway, I was bored so I read your mails." He pointedly ignored my glare before moving on. –"Boring... I was hoping to find hot love letters from your frustrated lovers but unfortunately. They are bills and this one is from the Ministry." He separated a rather fancy looking envelope from a pile of plain, official ripped ones.

Studying the familiar designs carefully, I groaned. The envelope was a rich shade of ivory with gold trimmings indicating that it was an invitation along with the typical wax seal representing the Ministry of Magic.

Most unfortunately, it was addressed to me.

"I had forgotten about this event." I admitted to Blaise. Having read the invitation many times before, I knew what was written in it. I tossed it into a corner.

"You have to go this year. I am in town and you don't even have the excuse of a conference this year. I know because I checked." Blaise explained before I had the chance to ask.

"I'll be damned if I go for this event. Cause of death: Chronic boredom. And I will personally make sure that the only physical action you get are with Dementors." I told him exasperated.

The things I did for Blaise… Just the other day, he insisted that I do him a favour so that he could get to know Mother's new secretary, Nina at the Dubloon. It worked out in my favour too though. I was under the impression that Ginny was seeing the bloody Boy who lived, Potter.

She was bloody fascinating.

"You know Dray… Dances like these can be lots of fun. Many sexy girls around to hook up with – Not that I am going to be able to do so this year." He added the last bit, looking the slightest bit disappointed.

"Why not?" I looked at him curiously. Blaise usually lived for such events.

"This year, I have a date. Nina Giovanni." He informed me, looking pleased with the prospect of dating his current conquest.

"You asked her?"

"Yeah. I have decided that I want to give this 'being serious' thing a shot. Nina is really great, I feel as though I have may have just met my match. I want to see if this will work."

"Fascinating."

-"So… Who are you going to ask to the ball, Dray?" Before this, I had been multi-tasking, not really paying Blaise much mind but at the same time, paying attention. After this, he had my complete attention.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't given that part a thought yet." I admitted thoughtfully.

"We could go through your never ending list of ex-girlfriends, Pansy, Angelique, Lola, Krystella….. Or you could just ask the girl you have in mind right now." Blaise shrugged knowingly.

I narrowed my eyes at him wondering if he had made use of Occlumency to read my thoughts.

"Common sense, _Draco._" He put emphasis on my name.

"She is good for you, Dray… Give her a chance. I am going to be positive here and say things will work out. She likes you, dude. A lot." Blaise said in reference to the girl on my mind right now.

Ginny Weasley.

She was unique, extraordinary in fact. Beautiful but she didn't know it, mischievous yet innocent with her way of looking at life.

"You have a thing for the redhead, ask her out." Blaise smirked, clearly reading my mind.

"You bet I will." I replied, a brilliant plan forming in my head for when she came with the report later.

Later, when I was in the midst of discussing property investments in Italy with Blaise, a soft knock had us looking away from our work.

"Am I interrupting something?"Ginny asked hesitantly, peering from the door. –"Hey Blaise!" She smiled when she noticed that Blaise had yet to leave.

I shook my head to show that she could enter.

"Done with the report?"Blaise took the file from her and flipped it open.

"That's not important. Did you fire the accountant?" I looked at her fiercely.

She bit her lips, looking pained but nodded her head. Her expression was good enough to build a small regret within me, which soon died away.

"Good. Sit down. I have something I need you to do." Blaise stood up and pulled a chair for her. I looked at Blaise expectantly for a few seconds before he realised what I was trying to do.

"Oh! Good lord! Look at the time! I have to go….." He fumbled for an excuse… -"Feed my cat!"

"I have to feed my cat!" He sounded as though he was convincing himself more than the both of us.

Before we could respond, he fled out, the door slamming after him.

Ginny looked at me questionably for an explanation.

"He doesn't have a cat, does he?"

"Clearly."

Before she could ask the reason for such a terrible excuse, I handed her a piece of parchment and my eagle-feathered quill.

"Copy down whatever I say and then once you are done, read it aloud."

"To: Miss Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley,

Draco Malfoy cordially invites you to attend the Annual Spring Ball which will be held on 6 March 2011 at ….." Ginny paused, her eyes widening when she understood what I had dictated.

I could see her eyes lit up then dim with that one moment of insecurity. She looked at me as though she expected me to crush her hopes the next minute.

"Are you serious?" Ginny finally asked, setting the quill and parchment down. It was an incomplete invitation but I am sure she understood my intentions.

"As serious as I will ever be." I replied solemnly. Her eyes grew bigger in surprise and …. Happiness?

-"So what say, Ginny? Will you be my date to the ball?" I held her hand and gazed into her innocent brown eyes.

"I…..I… I don't know what to say…."She stuttered, still stunned apparently.

"A yes will suffice." I smirked at her as blood pooled at her fair cheeks.

She nodded her head, still stupefied. For once, I was actually positive that I will enjoy the event. If I didn't, I definitely had Ginny around to make it more interesting.

* * *

**Ginny's POV:**

_What the hell just happened?_ I questioned myself in doubt after I had closed the door to Draco's cabin. I could not believe my ears, everything that occurred momentarily felt like a dream. _Draco had requested me to be his date to the Spring Ball. _Well, he tried to, by making me compose my own invitation card – which remained incomplete.

Draco asked me out. "FINALLY!" I said aloud to myself, happy. In fact, happy didn't cover it. I was euphoric. I had dreamt of this moment for so long.

I did a little happy dance, smiling to myself; having my own little celebration in the corridor.

"Pray, do tell Ginny. Are you planning to dance like this at the ball?" Blaise interrupted my mini-dance fest with a sly grin.

At the moment, I was in too much delight to care about the fact that both Blaise and Draco had attempted to get me flustered, embarrassed within the last half hour.

"Blaise!" I acknowledged his existence and interruption with glee and a big hug.

-"I don't know what you did in there, but thank you!" I squeezed him tight.

He ruffled my hair, "I did nothing, luv. Draco deserves a special girl like you."

"I'll put in a good word for you with Channy." I promised. Blaise had been such a good friend to me. I had known him for such a short while and in that time, he had done so much.

He saved my life, my dignity, my…. Crush? Now, he got Draco to do the Unthinkable – ask me out.

"Perfect." Blaise replied smoothly, earning a smack. _Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin. _And a lovable one at that.

-"So tell me, are you actually going to dance like that?" He teased me, earning a mock glare.

"For your information, I am quite aware of the dances that I should know in order to attend a ball." Just not confident enough to show off my skills but Blaise could live without that little bit of information.

-"Do you know how to tango?" He twirled me and held me in such a way that I was completely off balance.

"Erm… Blaise?" I said weakly, horrified at the thought that I might have to take tango lessons. Also at the fact that I was way off my centre of gravity and one careless movement by Blaise and I will fall and my butt will kiss the ground.

He looked down at me, distracted. "Way to kill the mood, Gin. I was trying to terrify you here."

"Well, sorry if I have abominable grace." I sniffed pretentiously.

"Good luck to Draco." Blaise laughed moving out of the way as I tried to swat him.

"Go away!" I gave him the most heartbreaking pout that I could muster and turned away with my arms folded.

"Awwww. Don't be like that!" He pulled me into a hug. –"Don't worry luv, you don't have to tango. Or do anything else. Just follow Draco's lead."

I erupted into giggles before I could stop myself, "Just joking, Zabini!"

"Why you little….."

"Same to you, Blaisieboo!"

"Save a dance for me, Weasel!"

"Definitely." I waved at him as I walked on to my cabin. Today was such a beautiful day.

Everything seemed so magical, alive. The office looked extra bright as though the sun had penetrated its rays and formed a halo through the windows of the empire. It was as though time had stopped and everything was in slow motion, my cheeks ached from smiling so hard. I even smiled at Audrina when I walked by the reception.

Back in my cabin, I felt romantic; poetic almost. I had the strangest urge to write a poem about the way I felt.

Grabbing a piece of parchment, I was about to compose a poem when I remembered the last time I wrote one… I hardly think Draco would appreciate a sappy poem. Neither would I, that little romantic in me would have to remain suppressed.

Mindlessly I initialled my name thinking about the invitation to the ball. What would I wear? Would I match up to Draco's expectations?

Suddenly, someone snatched the parchment out of my hands, making me scratch myself with the sharp tip of my quill.

"Hey!" I protested, agitated.

"Ginevra Weasley… Nice signature you've got there, Gin." My best friend remarked examining the parchment, -"Ah, what is this? Ginevra Malfoy?" She said it with a sly tone.

My jaw dropped open. I seized the old parchment away from her to see it for myself. There were just scratches of my initials and my full name all over in blue ink on the old vanilla parchment.

"Channy!" I scowled at her with my arms folded across my chest.

She laughed playfully pulling me into a big, tight hug. "Congratulations silly! I'm so happy that Draco finally asked you out. God knows that you need a boyfriend and soon!"

"Out of all the reasons to be thrilled over?" I looked at her incredulously. No wonder she was my best friend. We were both weird.

"Well…" Channy ignored what I had to say…"What are you going to wear to the ball?"

I thought for a minute, mentally scanning my wardrobe. If I did not have suitable clothing to attend a tea party, a ball was way out of the question.

Besides, the last time I had to wear something relatively decent and fashionable, I borrowed clothing from Tonks and ended up looking like the redhead version of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I know what you are thinking, Ginny. And no, we are going shopping!" She insisted.

-"Besides! I need to buy a dress too! Blaise asked me out, remember?" Channy smiled at me, excited at the prospect of attending a ball with her former crush. Or should I say current?

"I'm happy for you, Channy. Truly." I stated sincerely. –"Not to be a killjoy or anything, but aren't you and Blaise moving a little too fast?"

Other people would usually misunderstand what I had to say but not my best friend. She knew that I was only asking out of concern for her.

"I am guessing that Blaise didn't tell you why we are actually going together?" Channy adjusted her bangs while looking at her compact mirror.

"The both of you are interested in one another?" I guessed.

"Well yes but we are strictly taking things slow. I promise you, Ginny. The reason why he is taking me to the ball is so that I will be seen with someone of the male species; affluent … you know the usual. I want my trust fund back – so Blaise is posing as my fiancé and at the same time we are trying things out. _Slowly._" She placed emphasis on the last word.

I was surprised; it had not occurred to me that Blaise would be willing to help Channy redeem herself in front of the Giovanni's.

"He is hooked on to you!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself.

"I could only hope so." Channy smiled sheepishly.

She looked really bright today in a knee length, laced long-sleeved fandango pink dress with pointed white stilettos. A bit too flashy for my taste but it suited her just fine.

"Remember our dreams of finding the man of our dreams?" I wondered as I leaned back into my leather chair, thinking about the past.

"Wishing that they would be best friends so that the four of us could hang out together?" Channy continued, joining me in this walk down memory lane.

Back in Hogwarts, when Channy and I discussed our single statuses, we used to talk about how our Prince Charming would get along like best friends or brothers. How I would pick Channy's ring with her boyfriend for her. How she would pick my ring with mine.

And when we were finally together with them, if we were to have a terrible fight, we would sleepover at each other's place. _Good old fantasies._

"I think that might just come true. I don't want to hope though." I bit my lip embracing my insecurities.

I liked Draco more than I let on. I was afraid that he would stomp over my heart like it was a carpet.

"Trust me, Ginny. I knew from the moment I set my eyes on the two of you that he likes you. You have a connection, an understanding. That's the fuel to love." She said wisely, nodding her head with a lot of enthusiasm.

_Love? _I whipped my head to look at her, having been examining the sole of my shoes only minutes ago.

_Whoever said that I was talking about love? _

_Fall in love with Draco? _

_No, really…Draco?_

Was it possible that I was in love with Draco Malfoy?

* * *

**SURPRISE! I hope you like my version of Draco! Writing his POV was a REAL CHALLENGE. **

**Thanks you for the reviews for the previous chapter! You are too kind! I'm so glad that everyone loves Blaise and Channy! (:**

**Help me get to 200 reviews before chapter 20! Inspire me to write faster because the next chapter is long-awaited. If you catch my drift. ;) *makes kissy noises***

**Aww c'mon you should have gotten it already! XOXO**


	20. Chapter 20 Sealed With a Kiss

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 20. Sealed With a Kiss**

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Have I ever mentioned that I have a tendency to get overly dramatic when things were not going as planned? Take now for instance.

"My life is officially over! I am destined to be a spinster with twenty black cats. The children in my neighbourhood will refer to me as 'The Crazy Black Cat Lady' and will make up stories about my diet preferences." I wailed, dramatically burying my head in one of Channy's colourful, beaded pillows.

"Stop being so dramatic, Gin. Your life is most definitely not over." Channy flung another one of her rainbow, beaded, bean-bag type pillows at me succeeding in hitting my head.

We were lounging around at her place after a lazy day spent at work. Her place, an incredibly small and grungy flat that she temporarily called home – it was a meagre room with a bed that occupied three quarter of the space she had.

It was small, yet cosy even though the walls had been stripped off paint. Channy had personalised it with scented candles, home-made potpourri. Not to mention that the place was littered with pillows. Bean – bag types, fluffy… All she needed was a silver tea set to complete the look.

It was the kind of place where I would imagine a psychic living.

Despite the fact that I was currently in the middle of wallowing in self-pity, it did not stop me from imagining Channy's signature eye-roll and look of disgust and exasperation.

"How many?" I asked, my voice muffled by her lavender scented pillows.

"Lost count after the fifth one." Channy replied grudgingly referring to the number of times she had rolled her eyes at my impossible and simply terrible flair for the dramatics.

A week after Draco had invited me to be his date to the Annual Spring Ball, everything that I had managed to sustain up till now, fell apart. Before that, life almost seemed perfect with me having lusty dreams of my boss looking dangerously sexy in a leather jacket, black tee and dark jeans ravishing me on top of a motorbike.

_What can I say; I have always liked the bad boys_.

_Draco, leather jacket, me, bike… _Back to my formerly perfect life. Everything was sailing smoothly with the flirtatious glances between me and Draco, the more personal talks, having girls nights sipping martinis with my best friend and spending time with my family.

Exactly how I imagined my life to be when I became independent.

It was one of those nights where work had ended early because Draco had to go pacify his mother over an anger management issue – he broke one of her favourite, priceless vases that belonged to royalty in Merlin- knows-which-period.

It was also one of those nights at my house where the entire family would get together; enjoy a deliciously heavy dinner with talks of what was happening with us and play with Teddy and little Victoire.

So over dinner, with a plate of mind blowing beef stroganoff, mashed potatoes, onion rings… we were discussing our plans for the week when a common plan came up.

The Annual Spring Ball.

In the midst of my joy of accepting Draco's invitation, it had completely slipped my mind that being significant contributors to ensure the welfare of the Ministry of Magic and society, my family was invited too!

"The ball? I had spluttered, choking on my glass of iced pumpkin juice. _Why the hell was I even drinking that thing?_

"Yes Genie, ve arre going to ze ball…" Her Royal Highness, Phlegm – sister-in-law and mother of my favourite niece in the world had replied snootily. She had made sound as though I will never ever have the hope of attending a ball.

_Well woman, I will have you know that I was personally asked by Draco…. _

Frankly, I thought that I would appreciate her more after she became a mother and I did. It just was not long lasting – she was back to being a monster! Annoying, meddling…

With the sudden thought that I might die a virgin over dinner if my brother, Bill were to have mind reading abilities, I suppressed my desire to give Fleur a tongue-lashing and moved on with the rest of the conversation.

The men were as usual discussing Quidditch statistics and the Chudley Cannons chances of winning the Cup this upcoming season. The women were discussing their dresses and colour preferences, it sickened me greatly. Hermione and Tonks were the only two women caught in the middle of both discussions.

I kept quiet mostly, keeping my thoughts to myself. Up till little Teddy decided to spend some time with me.

"Ginny, why haven't you been coming over to play with me?" Teddy piped up curiously as he climbed onto my lap for a cuddle over dessert.

I hugged him close to my chest for comfort and he snuggled in comfortably.

"Ginny has been working so that she can buy more toys for you." I replied to him gently in third person as I kissed his soft cheeks.

"Really?" His innocent chocolate brown eyes grew wide. –"But mummy says that I have too many toys, so don't buy me anymore." _Bless his little heart._

"Okay I won't buy you any toys. How about candy?" I offered as I ruffled his hair.

"Okay!" He accepted my offer enthusiastically. -"But you must come over and play with me. I want you to meet my new friend."

"Sure." I promised my buddy a play date soon. –"When do you want me to come over?"

"When Mummy and Daddy go to the ball!"

"How about another day, sweetie?"

"Why?"

"Well because. I have to go to the ball too!" I whispered quietly in his ears.

"Really? With a prince?" Teddy whispered back, sensing that it was not something that I wanted everyone to know. That boy was sharp for his age.

"No...Why?" I replied slowly, wondering why on earth he would think that I was going to the ball with a prince.

"Because no one knows when Princess goes to a ball with a Prince. No one knows that you are going too." He pointed out. Apparently my life was now associated with a fairytale in little Teddy's eyes.

Wondering how I would explain my situation to a six year old, I chose to let him believe in the magic of fairytales while he could.

"You caught me. I am indeed going to the ball with a prince."

"Will you get together and live happily ever after? Don't run away from him!" He admonished me, taking this seriously.

I laughed at his imagination and kissed his forehead lightly.

"I won't." I promised. How will I get through the ball without running away? _Cinderella had it all so easy. _

Thus, to summarise dinner, my secret job was soon to be revealed to my family and I had a play date for the day after the ball with Teddy. If I wasn't locked in a tower guarded by dragons before that.

"I have an idea!" Channy sat up, nearly knocking me off from the bed that both of us were currently lying on.

"What?" I perked up instantly.

"Polyjuice potion." She replied enthusiastically.

It would be a brilliant plan if the ball was in a month's time and not in a week. Secondly, Draco doesn't know that my family is unaware of the fact that I work for him. Lastly, who the hell would I pose as if I took the potion! She also didn't consider the fact that the both of us never actually paid attention in Potions!

"That… is… the… WORST IDEA I HAVE EVER HEARD FROM YOUR MOUTH EVER!" I yelled at her, choosing to retreat back to attempt to suffocate myself with a pillow.

Obviously Channy ignored me as she came up with ideas that sounded more ridiculous by the minute.

"You could… change your hair colour, wear spectacles, and make a fashion statement by wearing a mask – even though the ball has no theme…" She trailed off when she saw the look that I gave her.

-"Or you could just call in sick and not wear that dress we found. But then I would kill you." She shrugged.

Merlin, why couldn't my problem be finding a dress whose colour did not clash with my hair? Everyone always said that redheads had the most difficulty when it came to finding dresses. That was so not true!

I had found my dress the very moment I stepped into one of Marvin Choque's boutiques. Remembering a promise I made to myself ages ago that I would buy myself a dress robe from Marvin Choque's collection, I decided that now would be the best time to uphold it. I had gotten a very generous discount by Marvin himself and I could not have been happier with my choice.

Call in sick? Call in sick? "Call in sick? That's perfect!" I hugged Channy tightly.

Truth be told, it was currently the best option that I had as much as it was disappointing. I wasn't ready for both my lives to clash. I had dreamt of this day since Draco had invited me.

We would waltz slowly, making a circuit around the ballroom. I would rest my head on his shoulder. His hands would be on my waist. His breath would tickle my neck every time he said something. I would close my eyes and live with the blissful feeling that his lips were merely inches away from me. Maybe, just maybe we would kiss.

If I were to be taken ill on the day of the ball, Draco could find a replacement in a blink of an eye.

Pansy, Krystella… Maybe even Audrina. And that bitch had plans to seduce him!

The ball was the perfect place to seduce a handsome rake. According to historical romance novels…

Perfect for Audrina to… "I can't." I gasped when I imagined all the trouble Draco could get into.

_Audrina seducing Draco._

_Draco getting Audrina pregnant_

_Audrina blackmailing Draco for wealth. _

_Draco has no choice but to rescue his heir from that witch. _

_Handing over his wealth in return for his child._

_Malfoy Empire being renamed to Audrina Empire._

_Me getting fired. Draco hating me forever._

The perfect plot for the historical romance novel. And my doom.

I guess there was only one thing to do. Go to the ball and hide in plain sight.

…

The day of the Ball had finally arrived, as per what I had planned, I gave my family the impression that I was heading off to work. The actual truth was that I was going to crash at Channy's place for the next couple of hours to catch up on my beauty sleep.

I had everything that I could possibly need, reduced in size and packed into my satchel. It was ironic how I had spent the last couple of days biting my nails in anxiety over the fact that everyone I knew was attending the ball. This morning, I was feeling on top of the world!

After half the day spent, relaxing at Channy's place with Japanese takeout – my treat of course, mani-pedis, homemade facials and a definite failed attempt at predicting our fortune with tarot cards, we finally decided that it was time for us to get ready.

Two hours, we clearly got ready in record time. Honestly though, there wasn't much for us to do. After our respective showers, we simply used the help of make-up and hair-styling charms.

Channy was a tad bit nervous though because she was attending the ball to win back the hearts of the Giovanni's by making them believe that she was engaged and deeply in love with the affluent, gorgeous Italian, Blaise Zabini.

That girl clearly could not live without her trust fund.

I didn't blame her though, if I had to give up a lavish lifestyle to live in the dumps, I would be completely out of my element and miserable.

"Crap! I completely forgot to inform Draco not to head over to The Burrow to pick me up!" I gasped horrified at my forgetfulness. We were in the middle of finishing up the final touches.

"Oh don't worry about that. I sent a note on your behalf this morning. I've got it covered." Channy reassured me as she adjusted a strand.

"Thank goodness. I was scared for a moment that…" I didn't get to complete my sentence before a brief but commanding knock sounded at the door.

Channy and I looked at each other in alarm. "Quick! How do I look?" She scanned herself quickly in the mirror to see if she had made any blunders in her outfit.

"Perfect! Me?" I looked down at my dress suddenly unsure if it would match up to Draco's standards.

The door knob twisted open before we could reach for it. Both the men stood at the entrance looking extremely out of place in this ramshackle building but extremely divine.

Draco looked powerful in his plain black dress robes; he had a polished aura of command shimmering off him. They had a slight metallic tinge to it, clearly made to demand attention. It was simple but definitely his style. I bet it was expensive as hell. He looked devastatingly attractive.

Blaise looked dashing though his dress robes had a more…vampire-ish edge towards it. _The cape look?_ He had on an old vanilla white shirt with a lavender vest… Staring at him, I realised that if he removed his black cape and vest, he would look remarkably like a pirate.

"Hello ladies….Whoa!" Blaise as usual tried to make a grand entrance but failed this time around. He faltered when he had taken in Channy's look. It was comforting to finally see that imp of a Slytherin not in his centre of gravity. Those people were too perfect for their own good.

Channy had worn a long, strapless black dress; the torso of the dress was blood red and striking. The rest of the gown comprised on an explosion of black lace and chiffon. Her black hair was left She looked like a seductress.

I giggled lightly as I watched the both of them, they were smitten – it would be obvious to a blind man. My focus was mainly on them so much so that I hadn't noticed that my personal Greek god had appeared before me.

A brief touch of his fingers on my bare arm made me jump. I looked at him startled only to see him looking at me with the strangest expression on his face. His grey eyes were darker than usual with a slight glint in them. My breath was caught in my throat as his eyes raked up and down my body.

I bit my lip in apprehension hoping that the dress was suited to his tastes. I had gotten it at a good deal but Malfoys were always about appearance, class and all the other snobbish things imaginable.

He leaned forward whispering, his cool breath tickling my ear –"You look absolutely stunning."

My jaw so badly wanted to drop open in surprise but I stopped myself, mentally explaining that it was improper for a lady to be caught engaging in an unflattering act. _Oh Merlin, it sounds so wrong._

Tonight I was going to act like a lady and allow Draco to hold his head high that he had someone worthy of compliments on his arm.

"Thank you, Draco. You look very dashing yourself."I smiled shyly at him feeling moderately self-conscious.

I was wearing a floor-length white dress which was off shoulder. Kind of like a toga I guess. It was completely plain but it shimmered under the light. My red hair hung loosely around my shoulders, curled with two tendrils pulled back to make sure my hair stayed in place. I wore really small diamond stud – a gift from Harry a couple of birthdays ago and really painful gold stilettos.

It was all going to be worth it.

"I got you a gift.-"Draco informed me, handing me a blue velvet box. –"It was the least that I could do since you agreed to be my date to this godforsaken dance."

"I agreed because I wanted to, Draco. Not because I was doing you a favor." I told him, meaning it.

"Well then I want you to have this." He clasped my hand over the box. –"Go on, open it." He urged me.

A strong combination of curiosity and Draco's encouragement, like a cup of freshly brewed tea was enough to make me open it. Carefully, I lifted the lid afraid that I would break it with my negligence. I could tell Draco was trying not to roll his eyes.

"Would you like a velvet pillow to hold that?" He asked me sarcastically.

Ignoring his sarcasm, I looked and the most beautiful piece of jewelry I had ever laid my eyes upon.

Okay, I'm being biased. So it's not the best, obviously. It's not like the Prince of Muggle England would dump Kate Middleton and give me his late mother's ring.

This piece would be the next best after that, I supposed.

It was a necklace… or a semi-choker. _Ugh, I am not good with descriptions. _It had three thin, delicate gold strings starting from mid-neck. There were three stones with diamonds the size of a Knut in the centre of each. It was not at all ostentatious but would definitely take more than a month's worth of salary.

"It's gorgeous!" I gasped, incredibly touched that he would buy something like this for me. I mean, we were not even together.

He removed the neck from the box and nudged me to lift my hair so that he could help put it on. His warm fingers brushed sensitive areas of my neck, making me tingle. I let my hair go when he was done and he brought me to the mirror.

I did not revel in my reflection but I did so love the necklace so much. Every time the rays of light shined on the diamonds, let's just say that these babies could make stars jealous with their radiance.

"Beautiful." I said, for the lack of a better word.

"I disagree." Draco said, -"Beautiful is an understatement; I believe the term is exquisite."

We were clearly in our own, private little bubble. I had definitely forgotten that Channy and Blaise were also in the room until they decided to intrude.

"Planning on eloping tonight, Weaselette?" Blaise teased me, grinning cheekily in greeting.

I looked at him, confused. It finally clicked together in my head.

"I'm too young to be married, Blaisieboo…You on the other hand…." I trailed off knowing that the little nickname that I had created was good enough to push the former Slytherin's buttons.

Draco helped me put on my cloak which shimmered like stars under a midnight sky. I had doubts to whether this cloak would actually keep me warm. It just looked like a chiffon cloth with silver sequins. It had come with the dress. Nobody said looking good meant being comfortable.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Blaise had done the exact same thing for Channy. We walked out of the flat definitely looking out of place in it. If not us, the boys definitely looked like an expensive jade vase on display on the mantelpiece of a clogged and filthy chimney.

We were walking as couples; Draco held my arm which I was thankful for because my shoes were starting to kill me. Blaise and Channy were in front but that soon changed when Channy slowed her pace to mine so that she could talk to me.

Noticing that she wanted a private word, Draco walked on ahead and soon caught up with Blaise.

When we were sure that the boys were out of hearing range, Channy turned to me. At the same time, the both of us squealed, ecstatic.

"Our someday is finally here!" She pulled me into a tight, enthusiastic embrace. She had been referring to our dreams of having the better life with the better someone. Not to mention the whole liking best friends thing.

I nodded my head, my smile too wide for me to say anything. I couldn't hide the anxiety I felt though.

"It will all work out in the end. The two of you are perfect for one another." She reassured me.

I had been hearing that a lot lately.

…

The grand ballroom was in the alfresco – that's a first. We were under a concrete marquee whose ceiling was designed to create the illusions of the peaceful night sky. The floor was… perfect for dancing the night away. White curtains were held tightly by blue chiffon ribbons with gold trimmings. Blue and white candles illuminated the place; the slight scent of lavender was relaxing. There was a red carpet entrance which was lit by the light from the moon as well as tribal wooden torches.

It was simply amazing, luxurious. I felt as though I had genuinely stepped into a fairytale.

"I know the designer's inspiration." Blaise snickered as we took in the sky.

"Wow…" I was in awe of the picturesque view that Draco had bestowed upon me.

Before anything else could happen, we found ourselves swarmed by an army of reporters, photographers. Draco immediately took a protective stance in front of me. Blaise on the other hand had his arm draped casually, almost intimately around Channy's waist.

Both of them smiled, relaxed for the cameras. Thankfully the focus went by couples and they were ahead so I had time to prepare myself.

"Damn! I had completely forgotten that this would happen." Draco looked upset.

"What?"

"The bloody reporters with their stupid mutt photographers." He cursed, irate. For someone who was out in the public's eye rather often, he sure as hell was not fond of these people.

"We can…." He started to say something but I cut in.

"Relax, Draco." I slipped my hand in his calmly. We molded together perfectly.

"We'll be fine." I reassured him. The warmth emitting from his fingers was comforting. His grip was firm but gentle at the same time, I felt protected.

Together, we walked ahead to join Blaise, Channy and their 'mini-interview' with the media.

"Mr. Zabini, are you and Miss Giovanni dating?" The million galleon question came from a reporter from The Daily Prophet.

"We're engaged." He smiled broadly lifting up her hand to show off the ring? I had no idea that they had already chosen a ring for the little act. It was a round sapphire rock which glimmered on Channy's skin like the sea at night.

They asked further questions about Channy's relations with the mysterious 'Howler'girl to which they explained had been set up by the both of them because they were dating at that point but not ready to commit to marriage.

Not like they were now, anyway. Channy and her plans, I hope whatever she was doing worked out for her. It seemed too dipped in the drama sauce to work out in reality.

Draco's presence demanded the attention from the reporters and very soon the four of us were posing together. I earned a couple of encouraging glances from Channy and Blaise. Channy had also whispered Posing 101 under her breath and being utterly clueless, I followed her instructions.

"Are you and Miss Weasley together, Mr. Malfoy?" The same reporter asked Draco. Seriously, what was with her and knowing our relationship status.

I could just imagine the way he would answer her dryly.

_Miss Weasley and I are in a completely platonic relationship. She is just my arm candy for the night. _

That would earn him a moment of stunned silence from the reporters before the pictures start flurrying and cameras start flashing.

Except, things didn't go as imagined, the moment of stunned silence came from me when he opened his mouth to reply.

"Yes. Ginny and I are together." Much to the satisfaction of the reporters, I had even noticed the one from Witch's Weekly sighing in disappointment. Guess she was hoping that she could warm his bed tonight.

Ignoring the further questions thrown at us, Draco led me into the ballroom. I was too stupefied to say anything.

When I finally regained my voice, "What was that all about, Draco?"

"Well, I just shortened the process of having to ask you out."

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh I am. Face it, I like you and you obviously like me, so I just shortened the process. As of now, you are…."

"I wouldn't complete the sentence if I were you…" I warned him, incredibly pissed off. I haven't felt this mad in forever. Blaise and Channy were taking a stroll around the ballroom, socializing with the rich and famous.

I folded my arms hugging myself, feeling vulnerable all of a sudden. Truth be told, I was on top of the world when he said that I was his girl. Reality made that balloon pop when I realized that he had just announced it to the media that the both of us were together.

Which means that it would be all over the newspapers and magazine articles tomorrow… I was so screwed.

I did come here, risking everything that I had worked toward for a chance to be with Draco. I knew what I was getting myself into. I shouldn't regret it at all. By being mad at Draco, I was ruining the evening.

Watching him from the corner I stood, I saw him taking small sips of scotch from a glass as he spoke respectfully to someone. His eyes chose this moment to catch my gaze. We watched each other from afar. I was immersed till I hadn't realized when he excused himself and came to me.

The man who ruled my fantasies.

"Are you still mad at me?" He asked, sounding a teeny bit remorseful for having hurt my feelings.

I nodded my head. I hadn't been mad at him; I was more upset with myself. He needed a lesson though, _stupid_ _pompous git_.

"Care to tell me why" He asked calmly. Wasn't he ever unfazed? What happened to my ability to push his buttons?

"What if my answer was no?" I looked at him, determined to make a point.

"Your answer is no?" He raised his eyebrows, unfazed – as expected. Draco brought confidence to a whole new level.

"That is not the point!" I stomped my foot, flustered. I bet my cheeks could rival my hair now.

"Did you just stomp your foot?" Draco looked thoroughly amused.

"Draco!" I practically shrieked at him, while glaring all at the same time.

He raised his hands up in surrender, trying hardest not to laugh.

I sighed, how was I going to explain what I was trying to say to the man with the ego and self-confidence the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris?

"You know how…" I trailed off, biting my lip while thinking of an analogy. I got one and its good if I do say so myself.

-"Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour has so many different flavours..." He nodded his head, bemused.

"Well… My personal favourite is the Cherry Tornado but I have other favourites as well. Like the chocolate…" I could tell he didn't know where this conversation was leading to. –"So anyway, the point is… if you were to bring me to the ice cream parlour usually, I would order the Cherry Tornado. Sometimes though, I may desire a different flavor. Do you get me?" I asked him.

He shook his head gesturing for me to continue, "Apply this into the current situation. You are Cherry Tornado, Draco. I'll always say 'yes' to you. If I wasn't in the mood for Cherry, though? I would have said, 'no'."

Only when I had finished that I realized that this analogy had sounded brilliant in my head. It was another story the moment the words left my mouth. I could feel my cheeks burning once again.

Draco caressed my cheek lightly, "I understand, Ginny. I am not supposed to assume that you always want Cherry Tornado."

I gazed at him bashfully, nodding my head. He could be such a sweetheart.

"Good." His mouth curved into a pleased smile. –"Now…Would you care to join me on the dance floor?"

I glared at him. His gaze never wavering away, he was definitely serious about this.

_Sweet Mother of Merlin!_

"What?" Draco asked, noticing my stare.

"Haven't you ever noticed that I am as graceful as a giraffe on roller-skates? I cannot dance to save my life!" I exclaimed, horrified.

Draco held both my hands –"You have officially made my night. I have never wanted to laugh so much."

"Yeah, well. Paint my face and call me Giggly Weasley." I grumbled.

Remember how Neville Longbottom took me to the Yule ball in fourth year? Everyone had said that Neville kept stepping on my toes. Bless his soul, the truth was that he had taken the fall for me – he had danced marvelously. I kept stepping on his toes. They were bruised by the end of the night but he did not say a word.

I looked down on the floor embarrassedly as I confessed one of my deepest darkest secrets to Draco. He pulled me closer to him, his hands wrapped comfortingly around my waist. My hands were on his neck, fingers trailing the contours of the cloth taking in the expensive material and Draco's muscles.

"It is all in the leading, Ginny." He held me in his arms, whispering softly. I pulled back, looking up at him. Why couldn't he just listen to me for once?

"Look around…" He nudged me lightly. We were on the dance floor, in the middle of it in fact! Had we been waltzing all this while? How could I not have realized?

I glanced at Draco taking note of his encouraging smile. I could do this… I guess. I thought, resigned.

"Your toes, your funeral." I warned him before he pulled me into his arms playfully.

We made a circuit around the ballroom; he twirled me around a few times as I laughed. It was euphoric, light, and carefree. He even tried to dip me once resulting in an undignified shriek from me.

Never once did he wince when people observed us or me rather. He was always so reassuring, smiling at me encouraging.

I was having the time of my life. My fear of being seen here with him was long forgotten.

We stopped; a while later when I complained that he hadn't been the perfect gentlemen and brought me a drink. He complied, I decided to stand in a corner and people watch.

It was a private corner. A few pillars blocking the way with curtains blown by the wind, not to mention the candles that were thankfully charmed not to scorch. It seemed as though nobody had noticed the beauty and the serenity of this place, but I did.

"There you are… Your drink." A pale hand shot out from behind me holding a goblet. –"I brought you cranberry cocktail since you don't like pumpkin juice."

I took the goblet from him and sipped the cold drink – "How did you know that I don't like pumpkin juice?"

"I have my spies." He joked. –"Actually, I've seen you wincing every time you had to drink pumpkin juice at work."

"Ah, you have been spying on me, I see." I replied coyly.

"Not spying, merely observing someone who is worthy of my attention." His silver eyes had a glint in them.

"Not affections…?" I provoked him playfully. Must be the drink he gave me, I was never this bold or straightforward.

He leaned in closer as I backed up my bare shoulders feeling the cool concrete of the pillars. The curtains flew beside us, creating our little cocoon. The candles glowed, illuminating shadows under the moonlight, the stars twinkled mysteriously as though they had a little secret.

Tonight was the night, my heart told me.

"Affections would be an understatement of the century." He corrected me, his fingers leaving a burning trail as they explored my face. Not once did he overstep his boundaries.

-"Desire. Would be a better word." He paused. When I looked into his eyes again, they were darker, dangerous. Before I could react, his lips met mine. It was fiery, passionate, and hungry yet filled with so much of care. His lips were blanket soft as they kissed mine with vigor, his mouth warm. He tasted like scotch only much sweeter.

My desires for Draco increased by the second, my hands were tangled in his blonde abode. We kissed, long and hard. Finally, he pulled away, panting lightly. His hair mussed up – thanks to me. His eyes were filled with desire.

"We've got to stop." He said in a strangled voice. – "Now is not the right time… or place."

I nodded, breathing hard trying to find my own voice. Before I could say anything a deep, familiar voice spoke up.

"I couldn't agree more."

My eyes widened at the familiarity. I hadn't realized when someone had intruded upon the little world that we had built for ourselves in the last few minutes.

_I had spoken too soon._

* * *

**Phew! Long chapter & author's note. I'm going to have to stop doing that. The long AN I mean. **

**I am back to school officially. I'm pulling a Hermione Granger this semester, biting off more than I can chew. Only, I am not blessed with a Time Turner. Wish me luck; I need all that I can get. I'm exhausted by the time Friday comes. **

**Updates are not going to be as frequent, sorry! I'll try my best to. & you can do your part by reviewing! **

**More than 220 reviews for an update! XOXO **

**P.S: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed Chapter 19. I'm sorry I couldn't reply but I have read and appreciate each and every one of your reviews. XOXO**


	21. Chapter 21 The Moment of Truth

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 21. The Moment of Truth**

* * *

I wriggled like a worm in Draco's arms feeling like a deer caught in the headlights. His grip tightened around my waist protectively.

"Draco! Let me go!" I whisper-shrieked as I tried to escape from his protective embrace. Any other time and this would have made my day but right now, it was the worst thing that he could do especially in front of my brother.

Yes, my brother.

The moment of truth was finally here.

Thousands of dialogues from famous muggle movies flashed in my head taunting me.

_"You can run but you cannot hide."_

_"You know what they say_ _about lies. It will all pile up in the end."_

All that I had built for myself was about to come crumbling down before me and I could only watch, immobilized. Partially thanks to Draco and the main reason, myself.

"What the hell is going on, Ginny?" Bill glared at me sharply. He had a weird expression sort of like a grimace. Except that when I chose to read it, I saw shock, anger and disappointment.

"I...I can explain." I stammered, afraid.

"You can start now." He pulled me forcefully out of Draco's arms. I winced in pain as he held me tightly by the arm.

"Leave her, Weasley." Draco snarled dangerously as he moved toward pulling me away.

"This is between me and my sister, Malfoy. It is none of your business." Bill said angrily. His posture was tense, his face red from anger or alcohol I couldn't tell.

"It is my business. Ginny is my business." He said quietly, calmly. I knew him better though, he was furious perhaps even livid. This was going nowhere.

Anymore and it would turn violent. I had to step in.

"Enough!" I raised my voice loudly enough so that both men heard me. -"He is right, Draco. This is none of your business. Don't get involved in something that you had nothing to do with, please." I told him softly, my eyes pleading.

_Could this day get any worse?_

His glare was piercing, painful even. "I'll be outside..."

He made towards stalking out of the marquee but stopped. He paused and turned to look at Bill with a menacing expression-"Sister or no sister, she had better left unscathed." He threatened and walked out powerfully.

"The nerve of that..." Bill took out his wand, his cinnamon eyes flashing in fury.

"Stop, Bill. Please... He doesn't know anything." I pleaded with my brother.

He paused and looked at me grimly. "Then it is best that you explain everything to me now."

I took a deep breath shuddering with the sudden chill that I was feeling.

"The truth is that... Draco is my boss." _Or was. If I were Draco, after tonight, I'd fire me. _

"So all this while, you have been lying about where you have been working?"

"I wouldn't call it lying, I deliberately omitted where I was working." I phrased my words carefully. Every Weasley was famous for having a temper, even Bill Weasley. Don't be fooled.

I told him the truth about everything. How I had not known that M Empire was actually owned by Draco Malfoy. My intrigue with the company, not getting along with Draco at first, reaching an impasse and finally realizing that Draco was not what he seemed.

Once again, I had deliberately omitted a fact. I failed to let him know that I had fallen for Draco.

"What is your relationship with Draco now?"

"I... I don't know." I admitted. Sure Draco had revealed in front of the press that I was his... girlfriend? That didn't mean that we actually were. Were we?

"You've disappointed me, Ginny. Us. I never knew you felt that we were never good enough to understand your feelings. That you didn't deem us worthy." Bill sighed suddenly looking older than his years.

I was suddenly defensive. Never once had I ever have such thoughts about my family. I never told them the truth about my boss because I didn't think that they would ever understand.

"What do you mean by that, Billy?" My voice raised a little.

"You've never told us how you felt about anything, Ginny." Bill pointed out to me.

"Well, you would know how I felt if you actually found some time out of your perfect little family. It's always been 'Fleur this... Fleur that...' Everyone else has something or another and I cannot have my independence, my freedom... my job? You are disapproving? Let me tell you something, Bill. I disapprove of your marriage. As for my job, at least I am not whoring myself out to anyone. And I work for respectable people." I said as venomously as I could.

Tears welled up in my eyes at my brother's assumptions. He didn't try to understand, I bet the rest wouldn't too.

"Ginny!" Bill looked horrified. Before he could say anything else, I stomped out of the marquee wanting to punch the daylights out of something.

Tears stained my face probably ruining my make up charms. This was not how I planned that the night should go. Things never happened as planned right. My vision was blurry as I ran into something hard... a pole?

"Gin?" Blaise's voice sounded alarmed. So that was who I had crashed into.

-"What's wrong, love?" He hugged me comfortingly as I sobbed hysterically in his arms.

"Ginny..?" I heard my best friend Channy's voice sounding equally worried as she rubbed my bare shoulder comfortingly.

In the midst of my tears I heard Channy ask Blaise about Draco's whereabouts. Still having me in his arms, Blaise informed her that he had no idea. He held me and whispered comforting things in my ears while Channy patted me soothingly.

"It's alright, love. Calm down. You can tell us anything... Did someone hurt you?" Blaise whispered softly in my ears. I shook my head lightly unsure whether he felt my 'no'.

"Did Draco hurt you?" He phrased his question carefully. There was a hint of apprehensiveness in his usual deep voice. I could tell that it was out of loyalty for his brother and best friend.

I shook my head again lightly. I opened my mouth to say something but was interrupted by none other than Draco himself.

"What is going on? Why is Ginny in your arms? Is she hurt?" Draco sounded upset.

"One at a time, mate." Blaise joked weakly. Channy then took over and explained the situation to him.

"We don't know why she is so upset. She wouldn't say anything. Do you know anything about this, Draco?" Channy asked him, concerned.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Draco said as he pried me away gently from Blaise's arms. I reckoned I was a mess now.

"Hey... hey... why the tears?" Draco asked me tenderly as he wiped them away with his thumb.

I sat quietly on the bench – I wasn't aware that there were benches – as Draco knelt before me.

"Maybe we should take this elsewhere? I'll keep the both of you informed." Draco said quietly as he rubbed soothing circles on my palm.

I huddled towards Draco for warmth as we walked further away into the darkness.

"W..Where are we?" I finally croaked my throat dry and sore from sobbing. I had overreacted, I knew.

"We're in the park near Diagon Alley, the one with the great sandwiches remember?" Draco smiled ruefully as he thought of what seemed like a very pleasant memory.

"W...what are we doing here?" I wondered as I looked around. The park looked deserted at this time of the night, it was barely lit. There were no sandwich stands or drink stalls and kids pelting each other with snowballs. It almost seemed dead, haunted.

Ignoring my question or rather deciding against answering it, Draco abruptly changed the topic, "The atmosphere of the park is different in the night isn't it?"

I nodded my head, shivering. My dress hadn't been designed to combat the weather.

"You're cold..." Draco observed. He stood up to remove his cloak and almost immediately I was blanketed in the velvety, warm goodness of Draco's cloak. It looked like a million Galleons but it enveloped me like my blanket at home would.

Thinking of home sent shivers down my spine, "Perhaps a Warming Charm would make you feel better." Draco reached for his wand.

"No... No... I am fine." I protested, weakly.

"Fine?" Though it was dark out, the street light was enough for me to tell that Draco had raised a sarcastic brow.

-"Are you fine enough to tell me what had you in tears?" He shouldn't have even bothered with a question; I knew he would get it out of me anyway.

Taking a deep breath, I told him everything that had transpired. The exact same story that I had told Bill. He held my hand as he listened, squeezing my hand every time my voice cracked. The lights clearly forbid me from seeing his expression as he listened.

While ignorance was bliss, at the same time, it killed me to know what was going on in his mind.

Finally, I was through, the second time in the last hour or two. I had no idea.

Draco was silent as I stared into the darkness of the night, my imagination running wild.

"Say something..." I begged when I could no longer stand his silence.

"I don't know what to say." He finally said, sighing.

"Anything... please! This silence is killing me." I held my head in my hands. It was starting to hurt. Drama had officially infiltrated in my life.

"It brings light to a lot of things." He said. I knew he was editing his thoughts as he went along.

-"How you would walk through Knockturn Alley to get to Corporate Alley instead of flooing to work."

I opened my mouth to explain but he stopped me. "That is hardly a matter of importance now, Ginny."

-"I understand where you are coming from, Ginny. You hid something huge from your family."

"It shouldn't matter. They were barely around when I started working for you anyway. They were in Bulgaria for Quidditch and holiday purposes." I said stiffly.

"That's not the point." He replied patiently an arm around me.

Continuing, "The point is that you hid it from them. Omission is as good as lying. They care about you... The Weasleys don't approve of me. I don't blame them." He laughed bitterly.

-"What if I was in an illegal business of some sort? What if I got you into trouble? What if..." He trailed off. –"We're both a part of the family rivalry that has existed for generations, Ginny. Your family has protected you ever since you were little. It is expected that they would do the same now."

"That is where they are wrong. Don't they understand that making me live a sheltered life is making me dependent? That in future if someone needs help, I will be nothing more than a parasite? That... I see life differently from those that went through the war?" I choked on my words as my sobs of outrage hit me once more.

"Calm down...They love you... Try looking at it from their point of view. Almost losing their little girl to Voldemort. A mere child you were at that time. You were exposed to so much at such a young age. The age where making crowns from daisies should've been your hobby, not embarrassing yourself infront of Potter should have been your main priority." He chuckled and kissed my hair lightly.

I thought about it as Draco's hands combed through my tangled mess.

"You have beautiful hair." He whispered as he kissed my cheek lightly.

"You're right." I admitted as I leaned on his shoulder.

"About your hair?" His voice was laced with a smirk.

"No! About everything... I was wrong to have reacted like that." I reached for his hand.

"I am glad you realised that your tantrum was completely unnecessary." _Ouch._

"It was, Ginny. Don't glare at me like that." Draco was smirking again.

-"What are you going to do to rectify it?" He asked me as he wrapped his cloak around me further after I shivered once more.

"I'll apologize when I get home." I said stiffly. Admitting that it was my mistake was hard enough. I did feel guilty for what I said to Bill. It was so mean, and completely unlike me.

I love little Victoire Amanda and Her Royal Highness even though the latter had the ability to push my buttons.

"And?" Draco encouraged.

"I'll come clean with everyone. It's on my agenda for tonight. Make everyone know what am I up to and who am I doing?" I retorted sarcastically.

"That's my girl." Draco kissed me lightly on the lips causing my heart rate to increase.

"What if they forced me to resign?" I voiced a fear that had been nagging my brain for the last couple of days.

"Then you will. And I'll miss you, loads." Draco pulled me into a tight embrace. –"Nothing is more important than family, Ginny. Never forget the sacrifices that they have made for you. Good families are rare." His voice sounded almost wistful.

I knew he was thinking of his own family and how his father destroyed everything. I moved closer to comfort him, he kissed my hair again and I knew that he appreciated it.

"What if they ask us to..." I trailed off not knowing what we are.

"They ask us to...?" He repeated, prodding me to continue.

"What if they ask us to stop seeing each other?" I finally managed.

"No power in the world can stop me from seeing my girlfriend." Draco answered dismissively.

Draco's words were like iron, like a vow. I knew that he meant it.

While it was completely a wrong time to be happy, my heart soared with joy knowing that I meant so much to him. Hours ago, the very same gesture had me ticked off, now... it made my day. Or technically, night.

"It's time you went home now, girlfriend dearest. May I?" He stood up and held a hand before me sweetly.

"Thank you, kind sir." I laughed, feeling much lighter than before. Draco was great, he understood me yet he pointed out my mistakes. Very few people in the world could do that without earning a hex or two.

He held my hand as we walked toward the Apparation point. On our way out of the park, we met Blaise and Channy who looked as though they had tumbled out of bed.

"You alright now, love?" Blaise asked me kindly as Channy hugged me comfortingly.

It felt good to be in the presence of people who cared. My friends made me realise that my family was just like them, if not a little more.

"Thank you." I told Blaise sincerely.

"It's alright. it's not every day that a girl throws herself into my arms. It's my lucky day, sweetheart." He laughed as I moved to swat him. He rubbed his head as Channy slapped him lightly.

Draco held me urging me to be calm remembering my irrational fear of apparating. I heard the faintest 'pop' sound and seconds later I opened my eyes. We were standing right outside 'The Burrow'.

"You're home now, Ginny. Everything will be fine. Don't forget what I told you, okay? They love you and they only want the best for you. Keep your temper in check." He brushed his lips against mine. It made my lips tingle and desire more but before I could react, he disapparated before my eyes.

Once again, the moment of truth was here. Keeping Draco's words in mind, I opened the door to my home. Everyone sat in the living room awaiting my arrival.

Tension in the air was so thick; you could literally cut a piece. For the first time since Bill announced his marriage to Fleur, the living room was pin-drop silent. I was starting to dread this.

_Damn you, Draco. Why am I doing this again?_

I hadn't dared to meet anyone's faces as of yet especially Bill's but I didn't need to because my idiot brother exploded. Who else?

"Ginny! That's bloody Malfoy!" Ron cried out in anger and disgust. His face had taken an odd shade of prune.

"What the hell, Ginny! He is a bloody Death-eater for Merlin's sake!"

"You're frolicking with the enemy!"

"I hope you haven't been fornicating with him!" _Fornicating? Good one!_

"Is this some kind of sick revenge because I am with Luna?"

"What the fuck?" I cried out before I could stop myself. _Harry fucking Potter!_

"That is enough!" The shrill yet fierce scream of my mother rang through the living room. The noise immediately stopped. Call me crazy but at the moment I couldn't help but think that my mother- if she hadn't already disowned me- would make an amazing Headmistress.

Plus, no one wanted to get on Molly Weasley's bad side when she was mad. Myself included.

"I suppose you are old enough to make your own decisions now." She glared at me, her arms akimbo.

I gulped inwardly, I don't know what I had been anticipating but it was definitely not hundred percent confrontations from my mother.

"Er..."

"We respect your decision, Ginny. If you think that you are old enough to make decisions for yourself, by all means go ahead. We trust your judgement. We are not very happy about it but nevertheless if you have chosen this path for yourself. None of us are going to say anything about it. Is that clear?" My dad, Arthur Weasley's quiet voice commanded the living room.

No one dared to protest even though unhappiness was written on everyone's face. Usually my dad sat back and watched while mom handled the affairs of the house. The fact that he had spoken up meant that it was something serious.

"That's not your cloak?" He enquired curiously about the expensive material that I was wrapped in.

"No. It's Draco's." I could hear Ron's disgusted snort as he mouthed something to Hermione. She hadn't said anything all throughout but her expression was enough. I couldn't even be bothered to look at Harry after his scathing remark.

"Well... goodnight then." Dad replied dismissively and walked off toward his bedroom.

My jaw – and I'm sure I wasn't the only one- dropped open in surprise.

That was not at all how it was supposed to go.

_This was not good. At all._

* * *

**This was not what I had in mind originally for this story but I went along with what my fingers typed.**

**Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous 2012 ahead! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter just the same.**

**IMPORTANT: **

**I have uploaded a new story called 'Under the Mistletoe'. If you haven't already checked it out, please do. Show some love and review while you are at it. **

**Time for you guys to give me a Christmas present! Review and make my day please! **


	22. Chapter 22 The Extraordinary First Date

**Working For the Dragon**

**Chapter 22. The Extraordinary First Date**

* * *

I had a date today. A play date with my favourite child in the world, Teddy Lupin. A night before the Ball, I had promised to spend a day with the little boy.

"Wotcher, Gin!" Tonks greeted me as I stood at the entrance of her home. It had been quite a while since I'd visited the Lupins. The last had been before the disastrous, for me- Marvin Choque fashion show where I was required to attend with Narcissa Malfoy.

It was a calamity because Fleur and Bill had been there. The same people whom I'm not on talking terms with right now were present at the show. Let's just say that I had a hand in inducing the birth of little Victoire Amanda Weasley.

Then, I had been at Tonk's house borrowing her style which eventually made me look like the red-headed version of the very dead but beautiful Bellatrix Lestrange. I'd keep this secret with me till my last breath because if it came out any time before, I would be thrown into a boiling cauldron of witch stew.

I found Bellatrix Lestrange strangely beautiful. I had never encountered her personally- else I'd probably not be alive today but I had seen her 'Wanted-Dead or Alive posters.' She was intriguing to say at the least..._Okay Ginny wipe those thought about that evil witch out of your brain._

"Hey Tonks!" I pulled her into a tight embrace. I hadn't seen her since the dinner at my place. She looked great, all decked up to have a perfect day out with Professor Lupin.

Being a Metamorphmagus, today she had straight jet black hair with dark blue streaks. Her eyes were heavily lined with kohl. She wore a simple, floral print sundress which softened her fierce look. If anything, today she looked as though she could pass off as Channy's older, gothic sister.

"How have you been?" Tonks asked as she led me inside her humble home after the embrace at the entrance.

"I'm great!" I replied chirpily observing my environment. Her home was simply beautiful. There weren't many decorations to speak of but it was decorated with photos of the Lupins- telling their story. Her house had a slight feminine touch, most likely Andromeda's –Tonks's mother - with chiffon, peach coloured day curtains and a darker, velvet, and dirty orange for the night ones.

The couple, busy with their respective careers had not much time to go heavily into furnishing but what they had was home and it was beautiful enough.

"Yeah... I read about your 'greatness' in the Daily Prophet." Tonks replied, grinning at me slyly.

"Oh no... not that!" I groaned in frustration. She grinned at my discomfort.

"So you and Draco, huh?" She asked as I hung my cloak on their cloak hanger. Having baby-sat for them many times in the past, I usually knew where everything belonged.

"Me and Draco..." I trailed off, not knowing what she wanted to know.

"Are the both of you official?" She asked, looking at me carefully.

"Didn't your newspaper tell you that?" I teased as I followed her into the kitchen. Little Teddy was nowhere around even though evidence of his presence was evident. There were toys scattered everywhere, from toy broomsticks, muggle toy cars, which I nearly lost my balance over -to toy wands, the ones my brothers Fred & George developed in their joke shop.

Even though Tonks was Draco's cousin, her relationship was more established with me than it had been with him. I had practically grown up with her, when I had no one to talk girly things to, I'd turn to her. She treated me like a sibling too, in fact whenever we went out, just the two of us, her hair would be red, long and styled just like mine, and so would her features. People would then mistake us as sisters.

"I just want you to be happy, Gin. As long as he treats you right, and if he doesn't, he'll find himself in Azkaban." Her eyes flashed dangerously for a moment there before she smiled.

"He's quite sweet, really..." I informed her and proceeded to tell her about how he had handled me when I had thrown that tantrum. I also took the chance to tell her about the cold war that was happening at the Burrow. She promised that she would speak to Mum as soon as possible in attempts to diffuse the situation.

"Sounds like he's quite the ..." She was about to remark when little Teddy chose to make his presence known.

"Mummy! Ginny!" He squealed adorably as he raced into the kitchen.

"Teddy! Be careful!" Tonks chided him while he looked at her innocently.

"Just be careful okay? And if anything breaks today, I'm going to kiss you as much as I want in public." She warned him, her eyes twinkling as she looked at her son with love.

-"Aren't you going to give me a hug?" I knelt down to his height so that I could hug the child properly. Little Teddy Lupin practically melted into my arms. I held him tight, close to my chest.

"You came!" He babbled enthusiastically.

I ruffled his hair lightly, "I promised you didn't I?"

He smiled and his naive eyes lit up with happiness and excitment. -"Yay! You can be our Princess!"

"Huh?" I looked at the little boy, puzzled. _Princess?_

"Princess! We're playing Knights and Dragons! You can be the Princess." Teddy explained to me as though I was a child. Silly boy!

I knew what Knights and Dragons was. I'd never played it before in my life but once, back in Hogwarts when we were having our midnight chat in the girl's dorm, I'd learnt about the game while we chatted about our childhood.

"Who is going to be the Dragon?" I teased although seriously wondering. Didn't Professor Lupin and Tonks have plans to spend time together? Finally I came to the conclusion that I'd be taking care of two boys. Little Teddy had a friend over.

"Me!" Teddy squealed, wiggling like a worm away from me as I tickled his tiny body!

"Who is going to be the Knight then?" I asked him as we walked towards his playroom.  
Teddy pushed the door open before he could reply. He ran like the wind.

Having babysat him a little over a thousand times, I knew that Teddy never kept his things neatly. Very often, I found myself tripping over or nearly losing my balance over a toy broomstick or even a mere marble.

"Be careful, sweetie! Why don't you..." I froze, my question left mid-air as I stared at an unexpected face before me.

"He is the knight!" Teddy told me happily. He was none other than Draco Malfoy; my boss and apparently my boyfriend of a little more than 12 hours. He didn't know of my plans today - no one did. Not even Channy.

Back at The Burrow, everybody was under the stereotypical impression that I was going to be spending every minute of my spare time with him. In fact, breakfast this morning was a silent, awkward affair - it was so awkward that I skipped breakfast - _screw Gryffindor courage_.

"Wha-at are you doing here?" I practically shrieked while whispering, if that was possible. I was keeping my outrage and inner happiness under the bar so that little Teddy wouldn't be affected with my passionate emotions.

"I could ask you the same thing." He raised a calm, cool platinum blonde eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes to myself, one minute he was the sweetest person on the planet, the next minute he counters me with cunning answers. Draco was so mentally stimulating- he made me think._ I hate thinking – makes me hungry. _

He sat on the floor in Teddy's room in the most casual attire that I had ever and probably will ever see on him. He wore a pair of navy blue denim jeans and a white button down shirt. His platinum blonde hair was a sexy mess. As though he had tumbled out of bed or emerged from having glorifying hot sex. I knew otherwise though- the messy look screamed Teddy all over.

Although it was purely innocuous, I longed to run my hands through his hair and feel the silk against my hands.

"This is Uncle Draco." Teddy introduced me proudly. It was obvious that he idolized Draco. I hadn't known that the Malfoys and the Lupins were tight. Tonks never mentioned much except for the fact that after the war, Andromeda and her sister had reconciled. I guess I had never questioned the seriousness of the reconciliation. But all those times that I had taken care of Teddy, he never mentioned Draco. _Curious... curious...__  
_  
"Hi, Uncle Draco!" I teased, flashing a smile at Draco, putting my hand forward.

"Ginny." He greeted accepting my advance and pulled my hand towards his lips kissing it lightly. I felt my breath get hitched in my throat as I stared at him, thankfully little Teddy was more obsessed with gathering the necessary toys for the game.

I decided to ask Draco himself while waiting for our dear boy.

"Seriously, Draco, what are you doing here?"

"Me?" He replied mildy as though I had asked him the time instead of an explanation to feed my budding curiosity.

-"I came here on Mother's insistence that I deliver a vase to Tonks." He looked a little irritated at that.

-"Down here, I met this little monkey. Since I hadn't spent time with him in ages and I had a spare bit of time, I thought... why not?" He shrugged, looking a little bit out of place having made to reveal his feelings.

"Uncle Draco is spending the day with us." Teddy added as he came towards us carry toy shields and swords.

"That's not right, Teddy. We have to ask Ginny's permission." He corrected the child lightly but firmly enough to make a point.

Eager to please his uncle, sweet little Teddy looked at me with this innocently hopeful expression that made my heart melt into a pile of goo. As if I would deny this child anything he asked of me, I scoffed.

"Of course, darling. Your Uncle Draco can play with us any day." Teddy smiled brightly as though his birthday had come early.

He handed Draco a sword, Draco raised a sardonic eyebrow in question.

"What is this for?" He asked Teddy quizzically.

"It's your sword, silly!" I slapped him lightly on his arms, feeling the hardness of his muscles.

"With this? I think my hands are enough to finish this fiery dragon." He grabbed Teddy before he could react, pulling him into his arms and tickling the little boy.

Teddy squealed hysterically with laughter and protest.

"So what do you think?" Draco asked him raising his pale hands, making move to grab the boy.

"Sword, Ginny! Tell him to use the sword!" Little Teddy looked at me for help. Like I said, if he asked me for the world, I'd have given it to him in a heartbeat.

"Draco..." I said in my most bossy voice –"Use the sword."

"Yes ma'am!" He saluted me playfully, -"Although, if I have to use the sword, Ginny has to wear a tiara."

"Yuck! Tiara is for girls! I don't have girl toys!" Teddy said in disgusted protest. I nodded in agreement, _me in a tiara?_

"It's only fair." Draco reminded his nephew.

"Where are we going to get a tiara from?" Teddy asked fearfully.

Draco thought for a moment, "Which is your least favourite toy?"

Teddy ran to his toybox and pulled out a puzzle set. I shook my head, he was such a boy. They hated games like these. The puzzle set had been a gift from Hermione in encouragement that he sharpens his thinking skills. We had spent a whole afternoon together working on it once. I can say with utmost certainty that he never solved it again.

Draco smirked when he noticed the puzzle box. Taking it from Teddy's hands, he looked at me.

"Get ready for your tiara, Princess." He said the last part with such intensity; I felt my heart skip a beat.

I had to remind myself that we were in front of a six year old.

He muttered a spell and swirls of chalky blue smoke clouded the box. As the smoke cleared away, a small, inconspicuous yet really pretty tiara was on grand display in the middle of the wooden floor.

"Wow..." I breathed looking at the little piece of jewellery.

It was dainty with combs on both ends to ensure that it stays. There were white rhinestones in intricate swirls – diamonds, crystals or paste. I couldn't tell but it was really pretty.

"Princess..." Draco gestured for me to bow my head. He gently pushed the crown into the tangled mess also known as my hair.

"Stunning." He complimented me as he brushed a strand away from my face. He smirked slightly when he realised that his gaze had caused my breath get caught in my throat.

Abruptly, he turned around to face Teddy. "Ready?"

Before Teddy could react, he attacked while I watched. _What was a Princess supposed to do anyway?_

Teddy's squeals and screams of laughter filled the house. I smiled to myself as I snuck out of the room. There should be refreshments for them to cool off with when they are done.

Tonks had saved me the work before she left; there was a jar of iced pumpkin juice on the dining table as well as cheese sandwiches cut into small pieces. I decided to take a tray filled with refreshments and snacks.

I had just gotten the tray when a strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist, startling me.

"The Princess is all mine." He whispered seductively in my ear. Raising his voice a little he called Teddy –"I have rescued the Princess, young dragon. You may surrender and become my pet. Or you..." He said dramatically, playing the part of a gallant knight really well.

"Never! Roarrrrr!" Teddy yelled racing into the kitchen.

I shooed them out of the kitchen as I continued with the refreshments. Honestly, I had nothing left to do. Mentally, I was entertaining some interesting thoughts about Draco in my head. He was good with children – well, Teddy in particular since I had never really gotten a chance to see him around others.

I smiled lightly to myself – _Damn, Gin, you've got it bad. _

"Caught you!" I heard Draco say from the hallway as Teddy shrieked. There was a loud clanking noise, probably from their toys.

"Surrender, dragon. Or I'll have your head for dinner." Draco threatened.

Suddenly, there was complete silence. It was rather worrying as I had gotten used to the enter house being in complete chaos thanks to their battle.

"Draco? Teddy?" I walked out of the kitchen towards the living room only to be startled by the boys.

"Don't ever do that again." I clutched my heart as both of them grinned at me, rather Teddy grinned while Draco smirked.

I rolled my eyes to myself as I informed Teddy that there were refreshments laid out on the table for him.

"How's the heart?" Draco asked teasingly as we walked towards the kitchen.

"Really, Draco?" I raised an eyebrow as I led him to the table where Teddy was already chomping food.

Teddy and Draco were engaged in a conversation about broomsticks as I cleared the table. I overheard Teddy telling him about how Harry had taught Teddy to ride the broomstick. I smirked to myself as I heard Draco's sarcastic reply. Poor Teddy didn't understand that both his uncles didn't like each other.

"Since your beloved Uncle Harry has taught you how to ride the broomstick? How about some ice cream down at Diagon Alley?" Draco suggested causing Teddy to squeal.

I glared at Draco pointedly; getting the hint he leaned down and whispered smoothly in Teddy's ears –"We must ask Ginny's permission first."

"Oh Ginny! Can we go? Please? Please? Please?" Teddy practically begged.

I looked down at his cute face and all my resistance melted away. Like I said if he asked me to give him the world, I wouldn't hesitate – ice cream was something that helped him keep awake for the afternoon.

At Diagon Alley, both Draco and I held Teddy's hand as he skipped merrily along the stoned-tiles a game that almost every child played in Diagon Alley. He pulled us along with us like a restrained child at times, Draco and I had to laugh at his enthusiasm.

At Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour, Draco gave Teddy the liberty to order ice-cream with every topping available. This resulted in the three of us sharing a large melting blob of chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles, marshmallows, chopped almonds and every other topping you could think of.

It was gross yet oddly delightful. Teddy's mouth was a mess by the time we were done with him. There was chocolate smeared all over his adorable face.

"Teddy..." I reached for a napkin on the table to wipe his face however, to my surprise, Draco stopped me.

"I'll do it." He looked at me with a small smile making my heart flutter.

Gently, he took a piece of napkin and dabbed at Teddy's cheeks. I had to control the urge to scream, watching them. It was so cute!

Teddy had created a real mess on his face; the ice-cream resembled a muddy face pack. All the napkins had been used up.

"Teddy, go and grab some more napkins for your Uncle Draco." I told the child sweetly.

Teddy hopped off his chair almost knocking over another in his rush. Like mother like son, I shook my head at his antics, smiling. I turned to see Draco staring at me.

"What?" I touched my cheek, self-consciously. –"Is there something on my face?"

"No..." He shook his head, smiling at me.

"Seriously, Draco?" I asked him, curious to know what was on his mind.

"Why isn't Teddy back yet?" He abruptly asked, changing the topic. It wasn't fair that he did that, but he was right. At this point, our priority should have been the six year old child.

"I'll go and check." I stood up and headed towards the napkin counters. Usually, from where we sat in the parlour, everything would be visible but good ole Mr Fortescue was having an discount sale today hence there was a crowd of people buying ice cream.

I noticed Teddy before I reached the counter. A blonde haired woman with a bad perm was grasping his hand tightly. I didn't recognise her but Teddy looked slightly afraid. I sped up praying that she wasn't a kidnapper or something along those lines.

"Teddy?" I stood behind the woman.

Both the woman and Teddy looked at me at the same time – although I much preferred if it was Teddy alone.

"I should've known, only a child like this would belong to you." Audrina greeted me sweetly, the curls from her bad perm bouncing with every movement she made.

"Oh my Merlin... What have you done to your hair, Audrina?" I gasped dramatically and I must say, a little too dramatically for my own good. I had gotten the attention of the people around us.

-"Are you trying to depict Medusa? Really Audi, I had no idea that a sea monster was your idol. That's terribly creative." I babbled on, my mouth probably spouting rubbish. I couldn't care less.

Teddy clutched my arm as though it was his teddy, pun intended.

"Draco Malfoy's new belle eh?" She examined me from head to foot, turning her nose down at me as though I was a mere peasant. No offence to peasants of course.

"Something that you could never be." I retorted back equally sarcastic.

"You keep dreaming, by the next month, he'll have another girl latched onto his arms. You'll be a forgotten story." She told me venomously.

I felt my anger flare up; I forgot that I had a six year old beside me listening earnestly to our word vomit.

"Well, at least I'm not a slut. Unlike some people...Let's go Teddy, Uncle Draco is waiting." I grabbed what felt like half the stack of napkins and stalked off towards where we sat.

As we walked back to our seats, little Teddy piped up a question that I could literally kill myself for.

"Ginny? What is a slut?" He asked just as we reached Draco.

Unfortunately, I was not the only one who caught it, Draco did as well. His mercury eyes widened as he heard the question. I'd say we had identical expressions although I felt more as though I wanted to slam my head on the table and knock myself out for my stupidity.

We had always been restricted from cussing around children for this very reason. I'd always been careful, how could I have forgotten? I should have at least made an effort to cover his ears.

Draco looked at me questioningly as though wondering how Teddy caught the word. I looked away shamefully. _Why couldn't the ground open up and swallow me right now?_

Sensing that he wasn't going to get a reply from me, little Teddy turned to Uncle Draco.

"Uncle Draco, what is a ..." Draco pressed Teddy's lips shut lightly with his fingers.

"It's not a very nice thing to say to someone. You shouldn't say it." Draco chided him almost severely. Little Teddy looked as though he was going to cry; his idol thought badly of him.

As if Draco knew that was the case, he pulled Teddy in a hug and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Little man, it's good that you came to us when you heard the word. Every time you hear a word and you don't know its meaning. Go to mommy or daddy alright? Preferably daddy." Draco cleared his throat as though a thought struck him.

Once again, Teddy skipped out of Florean's as though he had never been scolded. Draco was absolutely magic with Teddy.

I sighed into his arms as Teddy skipped merrily in front of us.

"That was brilliant." I told him, meaning it as I relished the comfort and warmth his arms emitted.

"Brilliant, huh?" He smirked at me as we walked on. I slapped his arm playfully. That man had an ego the size of an ostrich egg.

Once Teddy was settled home comfortably narrating his adventures to his parents, Draco and I made a move. Not before I playfully glared at Tonks when she asked me if I liked the surprise in Teddy's room.

I had to admit that I appreciated it. Seeing Draco with Teddy today was indeed an experience.

As usual, Draco insisted on accompanying me home. As we walked down the path that led to the Burrow in comfortable silence, Draco squeezed my hand lightly.

"Do you consider this our first date?" He asked me out of the blue.

I shrugged, "It rightfully is, isn't it?" He nodded his head.

"Well then it was one heck of a first date."

"You are right. It was an extraordinary first date." He smiled slightly at my reaction.

He pulled me into his arms, kissing my hair lightly as we reached my gate.

I couldn't help but think that life couldn't get any better than this.

* * *

**I hope this chapter answers some of your questions, no I have not forgotten about the Audrina/Goyle drama. **

**I've had a roller coaster vacation for the first three weeks. First, I successfully managed to physically impair myself while doing nothing. This in turn caused me to partially dislocate my knee which in turn requires me to go for rehab and quit dancing temporarily. My cousin just got married, I've got two part-time jobs and I'm nursing an injured knee. So while I'm not at my happiest, I've had one heck of a vacation. I was hoping to update sooner but I couldn't. Although be assured that I will be updating soon!**

**Review and let me know what you thought of this lil' chapter! Till the next update! XOXO**

**IMPORTANT: **

**Around X'mas '11, I uploaded a new story called Under the Mistletoe which I managed to complete a few weeks ago. Please do go and check it out if you haven't already. XOXO **


	23. Chapter 23 Prologue to Drama

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 23. Prologue to Drama**

* * *

I hadn't done this in a while, I realised as I stared at the dark alley awaiting me ahead. I was standing at the grungy, grimy and dark entrance of Knockturn Alley, the very route that I used to take when I just started working for Draco.

Once again, the floogate was under maintenance and my busy boyfriend who was also my boss needed me to report to work early. We were back to the being present at the office at the crack of dawn period. Apparently he didn't believe in giving his girl friend who was also his personal secretary the special treatment.

To give my boyfriend some credit, he did allow me to sleep in when we first got together a couple of weeks back. Say a month or two? Recently though, things have changed. I worry about him, his health. Judging by the amount of workload I have, I'd say he had a mountainous pile of work to handle.

One of the advantages of dating your boss was the fact that you spent time together while at work. At the same time, that was a disadvantage because he didn't feel the need to bring you out on a date. After our first date with little Teddy, I can count the number of times we spent together outside the office on one hand. Not that I was complaining –

Oh hell, who I was kidding, I was complaining alright. He was stressed, I knew. I had to reason it out with myself. At least I had the ability to keep tabs on him. At least he was immersed in work and was not sleeping around. Not that he got much sleep anyway.

_Stop pondering Gin! You've walked through this alley for Merlin's sake. You're a witch not a defenceless damsel. Don't forget the power of your Bat Bogey Hex. _My mind lectured me as I bit my lip uncertain as to whether I should walk through Knockturn Alley or not. The last time I had, Blaise saved me.

It was too late to take a detour to The Leaky Cauldron and walk all the way down to Corporate Alley. Draco would have my head if I was a minute late, girlfriend or not girlfriend. Sometimes I thought that he would fire me in a heartbeat if I made a terrible mistake. I love my job; it was my favourite part of my life right now.

Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip around my wand and walked through the most notorious street in the whole of wizarding London. My heart practically leapt out of my chest as I caught sight of a suspiciously familiar burly figure clad in black.

_Goyle? _I narrowed my eyes under the dim light as I confirmed that he was indeed Gregory Goyle, the boyfriend of my arch-nemesis, Audrina. Something didn't seem right judging by the way that he was creeping around.

Nothing right ever happened in Knockturn Alley – Goyle was headed in the direction of Corporate Alley anyway. I continued to remain in the shadows. In my haste, I nearly gave my cover away when I stumbled over a drunkard. Thankfully, Goyle was as oblivious as day.

Along the way, he was joined by none other than that snake, Audrina. They were not subtle about anything apparently. She practically shoved her tongue down his throat, I winced from the back.

They weren't very silent with their conversation either. Merely glancing around once, Audrina turned to Goyle. I had to applaud her for her stupidity and thank Merlin for that.

"They are going to continue with the investigations, babe. Your contacts were only good to hush the hype for only so long." She threw him a pointed glare.

He visibly blanched before composing himself, "All evidence point to Draco, darling. The plan is working."

My eyes widened as I heard my boyfriend's name being mentioned in the conversation.

_Evidence? What evidence? Ginny! You've got to dig deeper. _

I tried to pry further but we had already reached the marble building of Malfoy Empire. Draco stood at the receptionist counter looking through a file as he spoke to a receptionist – one of the nicer ones, I didn't know her name.

He looked up as Goyle, Audrina and I entered. He greeted his friend – if only he knew- briefly before nodding at Audrina as though acknowledging her existence. I wouldn't have been too thrilled if I were her. I knew that Draco was either unaware of her existence or he wasn't particularly thrilled with her employment.

Malfoy Empire was partially owned by Narcissa Malfoy as well, Draco did not have a hundred percent say in recruitment, I would know. He looked past the couple, his gaze colliding with mine.

My heart skipped a beat. He looked tired but nevertheless handsome. His platinum blonde hair was mussed up as though he forgot to run a comb through, his collar askew although it looked more like a fashion statement than anything else.

My fingers ached longingly; I wanted to run my hands through the platinum mass while pulling his lips down to meet mine.

_Was it too early in the morning for such feelings of lust? _

"About time-"He was tired yet he put on a superior smirk just for me.

Oh Merlin, I sound just about hopelessly in love with him right? He could pull up his sleeve and show me the Dark Mark and I would still think that he was the most perfect man on the planet.

His greeting had Goyle and Audrina looking back at me, startled. I threw them one of my best contemptuous look as I always did whenever we made eye contact. Especially since Audrina had laid a finger on little Teddy.

I wonder if they knew that I had overheard their conversation. _It wouldn't be the first time_, I thought snarkily as I recalled the time when they were going at it like bunnies in the file room.

I wanted to hold Draco's hand as we made our way to his cabin. I wanted to throw my arms around him in the elevator and inhale his manly scent. I wanted to bury my head in his arms, my head enjoying the softness and expensive material of his designer clothing. I wanted to assault his lips – In short, I wanted a lot of things that I couldn't have.

In the cabin, Draco pulled me into his arms. He kissed my forehead sweetly before complimenting me.

"You look beautiful." He said as he tucked away loose strands of my hair that had fallen out of my chignon.

I looked down at my attire and raised a questioning eyebrow as if to say 'This old thing? You see me in it every other day!'

He shook his head, amused and I fought this urge to punch my fist in the air. I had made him laugh at this ungodly hour. Then things got serious, work started. I drafted more minutes of meetings, spell-checked all presentations.

After making sure that Draco had his lunch, I had some free time on my hands. I sucked on a Sugar Quill as I doodled on a spare piece of parchment. Draco was free too – he hadn't any appointments at this hour. I pondered on heading over to his office to hopefully convince him to dine with me at the new sushi place in town.

Making my decision, I walked out from my own cabin and into the corridor that led to his. Oddly enough, his door was open. Draco never liked it open. My curiosity got the better of me as I heard voices.

I squeezed myself into a corner and spied on them shamelessly. I wished I had brought Extendable Ears with me. Life would be so much more convenient.

"I trust you, Draco and I know that you had nothing to do with Gerald McDomer's murder but the recent evidences are pointing to you." I heard a familiar voice say seriously.

_Tonks? What was she doing here? That too, without meeting me – something was definitely wrong. _

I strained to overhear the conversation.

"I am being blackmailed for Merlin's sake. This is ridiculous!" Draco said tensed. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Blackmailed?" Tonks gaped at him in shock echoing my sentiments.

_Blackmailed? Why? _

-"Who is blackmailing you?" I heard Tonks saying to him as my own thoughts screamed the answers at me.

Audrina and Goyle! The villainous and vile duo – was it by chance that I had only overheard their conversation this morning?

Thank goodness that I did. Everything was starting to fall into place now. I didn't know who was Gerald McDomer and what he had to do with Malfoy Empire but I was intending on finding out.

Deciding that I had overheard enough, I walked towards the room that I hadn't visited in a while. It was the very room where I had caught Audrina and Goyle in their moment of passion all while searching for the Marmadas file.

It had apparently been the human resource room where files for previous and current staff were stored. As I grew aware with the work ethics in the empire, I had learned that only authorized personnel was granted access to this room and there were very few people who had been granted that access.

As head of security, Gregory Goyle had been granted that access and that bitch had obviously taken advantage of that fact. Thinking about them disheartened me. Draco worked so hard to maintain the empire, to establish it as one of the leading companies in the wizarding world. And then there were such disgusting people who were trying to ruin him while under his nose.

It pained me to know that he wasn't aware of all of this and I couldn't just march up to him. Not without solid evidence at least. Perhaps my trip to the resource room would get me a lead somewhere if not information on Gerald McDomer.

The room though properly organized was musty and badly in need of a couple of Cleaning Spells. Mentally, I couldn't help but feel disgusted that Audrina and Goyle chose this room for their mating sessions. Honestly, I would have rather used the Malfoy Empire's toilet, it was definitely more sanitary.

The layer of dust was so thick; I could literally draw my name on it. I walked around the various sections starting by the bookshelves with the last couple of alphabets. There was a file in my name, I noticed as I walked by the 'W' section. I wasn't bothered nor was I curious to open it.

Briefly I wondered about Audrina's surname. As I explored, I realised that it hadn't occurred to me to find out about her life. Even though she was British, she hadn't been at Hogwarts. I would have recognized her considering the fact that I was rather aware of my schoolmates, seniors and juniors alike.

I was a woman on a mission; I could do a research on Audrina later. I definitely had access. I whipped out my wand and muttered the retrieving spell.

"Accio McDomer file" I caught the dark green file that had shot out in my direction.

The file was like any other belonging to Malfoy Empire. Dark green with the Malfoy Empire crest on it – I was about to open it when I heard someone enter.

I dumped the file in the nearest shelf I saw pretending to be looking for the first name that appeared in my head.

"Giovanni, Giovanni, Giovanni-" I murmured to myself before improvising by lighting my wand. See, if I gave my cover away, I couldn't possibly be up to no good right?

Pretending, I called out –"Channy is that you?" I was fully aware of the fact that my best friend and Narcissa's personal secretary was not in the office today.

I walked towards the door. My eyes widened as I caught sight of the person standing there.

"What are you doing here?" We asked each other at the same time.

This was definitely the prologue to drama.

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**Guess who? The reviewer with the right guess gets a chapter dedication. Thank you for the reviews for the previous chapter – and I hope you liked the update even though it was short. Reviews please – I plan on finishing this story by the end of this year. xoxo**


	24. Chapter 24 Another Epiphany

**To Nutmeg44 for figuring the plot out – you have been with Working for the Dragon ever since I uploaded the first chapter and I really appreciate it. Thank you so much! xoxo**

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**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 24. Another Epiphany**

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"Tonks?" I blinked my eyes in disbelief as I caught the unmistakable features of the metamorphogus standing before me. I wasn't acting, I was genuinely surprised. I had known she was in Draco's office however I least expected to see her in the human resource room. Especially since limited people were allowed access in here.

Her hair was not in its sisterly shade of red today, in fact she was a blonde with wavy hair. Her features were slightly sharper than usual and her expression was distant and business like. She wore her Auror robes. If I hadn't overheard, her appearance would be enough to let me know that she was here strictly for business purposes.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" She stared at me in alarm.

"I work here-"I said, giving her an odd look. Something was definitely wrong around here and I was determined to find out.

_Now is the time to unleash your inner actress, Ginny. _

"What are you doing here?" I waved my hands around to show that I referred to her presence in the human resource room.

"I came here to look for you. I was with Draco earlier and I thought I should say hi. Teddy sends his love." She added. I caught a brief expression of guilt fleeting across her face before she masked it with her business-like demeanour.

She was lying through her teeth and while that stabbed me, I was not angry with her. She did everything for a reason, I knew.

I had to piece this puzzle together though. I couldn't just sit back and watch while the love of my life got screwed over.

This had to be the reason why Draco was so distant. Throughout his life, he had always been screwed over by something or another. Even though he cared about me, I could tell that he placed some distance between us. And even though it made me uncomfortable and the worst part was that I understood his reasons for it. I hated myself for that some times.

I wish I could be the bratty, demanding girlfriend. Tonk's question had me shaking my head out of my wishful thinking.

"So what are you actually doing here?" She prodded casually, the hint of an Auror in the tonality of that question.

"Channy discovered that she had a file to her name like every staff who worked for the empire. She wanted to check it out since she lost her temper a couple of days ago. She wants to know if she got a bad record for giving Mrs Greengrass a piece of her mind. I promised that I would retrieve it for her." I lied casually hoping that my expression matched my tone.

"Is that even allowed?" She asked frowning.

I nodded my head –"As long as someone authorized does it, anyone can view their file. It's like a report card. It helps when you decide to leave the company, sort of a resume in that sense." I recited.

As a secretary of the man who ran the Malfoy Empire, I was required to remember mundane pieces of information like this. Thankfully they were easier than memorising the recipe of pumpkin pies.

"That's interesting. So where is Channy?" She asked inquisitively. I shrugged, thanking my lucky stars that I actually knew where my best friend was. I was sure that she wanted to double cross this information with Channy. I didn't blame her it was part of her job.

"Why don't we continue this conversation outside?"I asked her –"I mean it's not like you are actually in this room for any reason apart from seeing me." I added carefully, watching her expression change. I smiled at her innocently, pulling her arm.

I already had what I wanted, I told myself triumphantly. As long as I got Tonks out of the way as soon as possible, I would be able to retrieve Gerald McDomer's file.

As we walked towards my office where I planned on ordering a pot of piping hot yet rejuvenating tea even though I hated it, I asked her a random question –"So anyway, how did you know that I would be here."

"Draco." She lied as though that explanation was enough.

I nodded my head absent-mindedly.

"Ginny, you said that you were in the room to take Channy's file right?" She asked.

"Hmmm…." I murmured in reply, my thoughts dwelling in that dusty room as well.

"Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"Channy's file?-"She reminded me.

I looked down to my bare hands. Goodness that was terrible acting! I had walked out of that room empty-handed. I felt and probably looked like a deer caught in the middle of headlights. She had me cornered.

This lying business was not made for me; I got caught every time I lied. That deal with hiding my job from my family and then what I did with my first pay and now this. I should just stop altogether.

"Oh dear!" I feigned. –"Your arrival had me distracted. Oh well, I can go back later. It's not that important."

She nodded her head looking at me meaningfully. I studied her; I don't think she suspected anything. I reflected back on the conversation I had with her at the start of my job when I had to accompany Narcissa for Marvin Choque's fashion show.

_Flashback:_

_"I was just wondering about Gerald McDomer, you know the man who worked….." Before I could complete my sentence, she took me by surprise, responding…._

_"About time now, I was waiting for that."_

_"Do you possibly think that he is…?" I stopped midway not really wanting to continue that sentence as I felt sick to the stomach._

_"What?" She asked, confused._

_"Are you crazy? There is no way that he could have murdered Gerald McDomer, the evidences are against him. However, it doesn't help that they had quite an argument before he died. From what we've heard, they got along all the time. Draco appointed him when the Malfoy Empire was just at its beginning. He was Draco's legal advisor. He was quite distressed about the murder."_

_-End of Flashback-_

From what I gathered, Gerald McDomer and Draco had a pretty good business relationship. I still didn't understand why Draco was being associated with the death of that man. Even Tonks believed that, well previously at least.

Not to mention Goyle and Audrina's little plan to extort Draco.

I had to take things as they came now. If I acted hasty, I might end up in trouble or land Draco in more trouble. For now, as much as I love Tonks, I had to get her going.

Things were working in my favour; she didn't seem to want to stay long as well. As soon as she realised that I planned on ordering tea for the both of us, she dispersed.

"I'm sorry Ginny; I'm here on official business. " She hugged me, all the guilt finally visible on her pretty face.

"It's okay." I embraced her back tightly, my heart was heavy too.

I decided to lay low after she left the office, one never knew. Besides all the experiences I had in life had taught me to always expect the unexpected.

I did a couple of quick tasks like drafting a couple of letters and spell-checking proposals. After say half an hour, I decided that it was time that I head back to the lion's den.

Before that, I decided to take a peek at Draco's office. Tonks hadn't left apparently. And with Draco's special instruction that no one, me included was to see him without permission, I couldn't go to see him either.

I made a vow to bring Extendable Ears everywhere I went now. If I wasn't spying on someone, it would at least entertain me whenever I was bored.

Heading back to the room, I grabbed Channy's file making a mental note to owl her about the situation. I didn't intend on informing her about Draco's association with the Gerald McDomer case. Enough people were involved it seems.

Apprehension and guilt filled my mind as I practically stole the file from the human resource room. Draco would be livid when he found out. He might even break up with me. He could fire me.

Wild thoughts raced through my mind as I headed back to my office. I hid Gerald McDomer's file at the first place I could find. Briefly I wondered if there was a locator spell on these files. We weren't allowed to bring them out of office until our contract with Malfoy Empire expired - something about maintaining the secrecy of the place.

I had to read and return this file as soon as possible and I couldn't do it now, not when I was at the risk of having Draco or Tonks walk in any minute.

I read through Channy's file. It wasn't much; it was updated daily by a spell of some sort I gathered. As it was nothing more than a couple of pages, I kept it on my desk and continued with my work although my eyes kept darting towards the hiding place every couple of minutes.

I had disabled the retrieving spell as I mentally imagined Draco marching up into my room with a look of fury on his face as he performed the spell. It was terrifying.

Draco had asked me earlier to edit a couple of proposals. I was free to leave once I had submitted them.

Easily a couple of hours flew by as I remained immersed in my work. I walked over to his cabin for what felt like the millionth time today. Hesitantly, I knocked his door softly, announcing my presence.

I waited shortly before straining my ears against the door.

"His file is gone!" Tonks cried out in alarm.

"The real question is, was it even there earlier?" Draco asked frustratedly.

"I couldn't check. Ginny was there."

"Ginny?"

"What was she doing there?"

"She wanted Channy's file."

"She took Channy's file. It's stated on the register in the room."

Malfoy Empire had a system, authorized personnel had to state on a register in the room that they had taken a file out. No alarm bells went off when I had left with the unauthorized file, it was just standard procedure.

I felt blood drain from my face as I further overheard. Thankfully I was fully coherent and not frozen in fear or panic. My mind screamed for me to interrupt their conversation once again. I had to get out of there.

"Draco, it's me. You said you wanted me to submit the proposals before I leave?" I reminded him uncertainly after knocking.

The door opened revealing a hassled, almost angry looking Draco and a tense and frustrated Tonks. I had chosen the wrong time to come.

Wordlessly, I handed the files over to him. My arms ached to embrace him. My heart was heavy and I suppressed the urge to tear. I wanted so much to tell him the truth, to let him know that I was there.

I couldn't – he wouldn't want me meddling in his affairs. Would an ordinary girlfriend do that? Would another girl do what I was doing or rather wanted to do for him?

"Is everything er…okay?" I asked quietly, eyeing him. I tried to convey every emotion that I felt with my expression.

He nodded before pulling me into a hug. He kissed my hair lightly before resting his head on mine. I closed my eyes lost in momentary bliss.

"Go home alright?" He told me quietly and I nodded my head.

He squeezed my hand lightly before walking me out the door.

As I left, it hit me. No ordinary girlfriend would do this.

I was crazy, I had to be.

I was crazy in love with Draco and I just had another epiphany.

The question now was what about the file that rested in the drawer in my cabin.

Yeah, totally original hiding place, I know.

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**I hope you guys liked the update! I will post another hopefully longer update soon. Thank you for the reviews for the previous chapter. Reviews please! xoxo **

**P.S: The next chapter is going to be interesting!**


	25. Chapter 25 Confession

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 25. Confession**

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I couldn't sleep all night. My thoughts centred on the dusty file that was stored away in my drawer for safe keeping. I tried every non-magical sleep inducing method that I knew, I counted sheep mentally – I would have probably reached infinity if I didn't get bored midway. I was desperate enough to open my tattered History of Magic textbook that previously had sleep-inducing abilities.

I can solemnly swear that I never got past the first page without a yawn. However, on nights like these, the history of Goblin's was more interesting as compared to my own problems. This was enough to tell me that a visit to a psychologist was due. By the end of my contract with Malfoy Empire, I would have gone completely bonkers. Gilderoy Lockhart would probably have company at St Mungo's.

By dawn, I had yet to sleep a wink and I was prepared to leave for work. I looked a sight though; I had to use glamour charms to hide my hideous dark circles. No matter the charm I used, one look at me was enough to inform my mum that I was in need of her strongest brew of coffee.

It was probably the lack of sleep or the emotional distress that I was currently facing but I teared when mum handed me a cup. Despite the cold war at home, she still cared enough to know that I was going through a tough time.

I was now on my way to work and dreading every step that brought me closer to the doors of Malfoy Empire. I had a bad feeling about going to work today, my foresight wasn't great but the vibe that I was getting was enough to tell me that I should expect the unexpected today.

True enough, I was greeted by bad news the very minute that I stepped into my office. Dumping my satchel onto my desk, I rushed to open the drawer where I had the file hidden in. Coincidentally, that drawer was my supposed dresser. I kept the basic necessities in there, a potion to relieve cramps, an issue of Witch's Weekly that I had purchased a long time back but had yet to read, sanitary pads, muggle make up, barrettes and clips etc.

To my horror, the file was missing! I gasped loudly as I took in the sight before me. It was the sight I would expect to see in the particular drawer without the file. Nothing was out of place, mind you, I'm not an organised person, it was a cluttered mess as I would usually expect.

Assuring myself that my eyes were deceiving me, I closed the drawer and opened it once again. _It still wasn't there!_ I wailed to myself mentally.

_Damn you to hell and back, Ginny. What are you going to do now? _

I gulped as I was bombed mentally with scenarios of Draco finding out what I had done. Unfortunately, none of the consequences were good despite the fact that he was my boyfriend. Actually, I think he would go harder on me because of that very reason.

My stress level was on a red alert now. I sat on my chair and willed myself to calm down by bending such that my head was in between my knees. The blood rush in my head would help me think better.

Before I could actually do some thinking, my door opened and who else would it be? Why, my boyfriend of course!

I didn't need a fortune teller to tell me that today was going to be an extremely screwed up day. I was screwed in so many ways. First, I had stolen Malfoy Empire property. Second, I may or may not have interfered with investigations as to the Gerald McDomer's case. Third – _Oh did I really need to go there? _

I could feel my heart rate rising and blood draining from my face as I took in the presence of my very handsome boyfriend. Yes, even in a situation like this, I couldn't help but admire his chiselled looks.

"Ginny, are you alright?" He rushed forward in concern.

_Oh Draco, if only you knew what I had done, you would wish I wasn't alright. _

I nodded my head weakly, afraid to say anything. If I opened my mouth now, I knew that I would break down and reveal everything. Now was not the time, at least until I had made some attempt or another to locate the file.

"Clearly, you aren't. Why are you even trying?-" He demanded, forcing me to sit upright. He placed a cool hand on my forehead as if to check if I was running a temperature.

"You look dreadful." He observed as he took in my paleness. It was not a very nice thing to hear from one's boyfriend and on an ordinary day I would have probably given him a piece of my mind. However, in this case, I had just about screwed up his life. Who was I to complain?

-"I'm fine, Draco. Just a little tired that's all." I insisted, my voice a little croaky from the emotional breakdown that I was using all my inner strength to suppress.

_Go Ginny go!_

"Do you expect me to believe that?" He raised a platinum blonde eyebrow. –"I have been overworking you for days and you have yet to complain. Now that I actually sit down and take in your state – why didn't you say anything, Ginny?" He pulled me into his arms.

If I felt bad earlier, the feelings that were overwhelming me now were a thousand times worse in comparison to what I felt earlier. This was torture. I didn't deserve this man.

My eyes welled up with tears as I leaned against his velvety soft, expensive designer cloak. Usually, his scent was comforting however this time it was stifling. I pulled away from his arms because my conscience was having a coronary, knowing that I didn't deserve to be there.

"I'm fine, Draco." I smiled at him weakly, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Why are you averting your gaze away from me, Ginny?" He asked, lifting my chin with a finger lightly so that I met his mercurial gaze.

I shrugged, willing myself to keep my mouth shut. If he were to use his Leglimency skills on me right now, he would hear my thoughts screaming the truth at him.

"It's nothing…I'm fine." I replied, still not meeting his gaze.

"It's official. We're taking a break today. You and I, we are going out together." He declared making my heart sink further if it was even possible.

How long was I going to hold out? At the rate I was going, I wouldn't last another minute in his presence.

* * *

We had lunch at a Spanish restaurant which Draco was filled with praises for. It was rare that he actually liked any place, hence there truly had to be something special about it.

The restaurant Baldomero's was a place with amazing atmosphere. Everything, from the furniture to the music being played and the staff uniforms were colourful and Spanish. On an ordinary day, I would have loved the combination of herbs and spices that Spanish cuisine had however today, everything tasted like cement. Or rather how I would imagine cement tasted.

I barely touched my plate and had very little to say. Even Draco noticed that, if he was uncomfortable with the silence or my sickly attitude, he didn't mention it. I felt miserable and stifled with every passing second. My mind was on the lost file.

_What had I done? _

_Who had the file? _

My time spent with Draco today made me love him further. He had the patience and the tolerance of a saint, I would say. I was engulfed in self-loathing by the time the day was over. We walked down the street hand in hand, quietly, taking a familiar turn.

I hadn't been there in a while. Not since the last time I came here with Draco. We were at the park, the one place that gave me peace whenever I came.

As expected, the environment was tranquil with a slight breeze in the distance. The snack shop wasn't around, I noted as Draco brought me to the very bench that we had sat on the last time we had come here.

We sat down and I stared off in the distance. Surely Draco was worrying internally about the file considering the fact that he had lost it before I did. Yet here he sat worrying about me.

It wasn't as though I acted like the living dead with him throughout the entire day. I just wasn't quite myself. I was quieter than usual. I barely laughed and talked about things as I usually did.

Draco pulled me closer to him wrapping a protective arm around my waist.

"You're awfully quiet today. Is there something on your mind?" He asked softly.

I shook my head –"Just thinking about the last time we came here."

He grinned in memory of the sweet time that we had spent in the park. Originally, we had wanted to go for dinner. Due to my attire, we weren't able to dine there however; I had been underdressed for the place it seemed. Draco had stormed off in a fit and I had brought him here, introducing him to my little happy place.

He had enjoyed it then and I had gotten to know more about him. Here, he had confessed about his late father's illicit relationship with Helena Zabini and how his best friend, Blaise Zabini had turned out to be his half-brother.

_Was it my turn to confess as well? _

"I can't believe I actually tried and survived one of those sandwiches." Draco gestured towards the closed snack shop.

This had me glaring at him –"Hey! They weren't bad!" I protested.

"Finally!" He looked at me, a relieved expression visible under the light of the setting sun.

I stared at him, puzzled.

He smiled softly, in all his good looking glory before explaining-"It's good to see a hint of the Ginny that I know under all that angst."

I quieted immediately, remembering the very reason why I had been brooding – that blasted file.

"Here we go again." He sighed.

I had held my resistance all this while; surely I could do it longer at least till my brains had fully analysed the possibilities. I had come to the conclusion that Goyle and Audrina had broken into my cabin and stolen the file.

However, the spell on my cabin door only allowed access to Draco and me and it was mandatory that the door be locked every time I left my cabin. I had taken extra care to ensure that everything was in place when I had left last night.

_Who could have done it?_

I squeezed Draco's hand gently as he glanced at the spectacular view before us. We were sitting in front of a pond. Previously, during the icy weather, we had sat here watching children skate on this very pond. Now, the place was hogged by ducks. I watched as a duck pecked one of her ducklings as though chiding it.

"So you aren't going to confess huh?"

My heart literally stopped when I heard that. Did I hear it right?

"Excuse me?" I turned to face Draco who looked as though he was searching for answers from my face.

"I said – so you aren't going to confess already?"

"W-what?" I stuttered, once again feeling my blood drain.

"Aren't you going to confess that you lost the Gerald Mc Domer file?" He asked me.

I stared at him in stunned silence. I was utterly flabbergasted.

_How did he know?_

As though he could read my mind, he answered –"What kind of boss would I be if I wasn't aware of what was happening behind my back?"

My jaw dropped open, "You knew?"

"Of course-"He smirked, his cunning Slytherin side emerging.

"So, all this while, you've been the perfect boyfriend just so that you could get me to admit that I lost the file?" I asked in disbelief.

"When you put it like that-"He shrugged.

_HOLY MOTHER OF MERLIN!_

I knew I should be angry, furious, livid, murderous maybe even reintroduce him to my infamous Bat Bogey Hex that he had already met in his fifth year in Hogwarts. Strangely, I wasn't. I suppose, subconsciously I had known all along that he was aware. Perhaps that's why I hadn't broken quickly.

"Are you angry?" He questioned me, eyeing me with caution as though I was one of Neville Longbottom's disastrous potions.

"I should be right?" I confirmed with him and he nodded his head once in answer to my question.

I shrugged, heaving a sigh of relief –"I'm not and I know it's crazy. What about you? I mean, I kind of do deserve this reverse psychology torture treatment that you devised."

He shook his head –"I was angry, but not for long."

"How did you know?" I asked, wondering what on earth had given me away.

"If I tell you, I will have to kill you." He answered. That was his way of telling me that he preferred death over revealing his sources.

There was a load off my chest. At least now, he knew that I had lost the file and he wasn't remotely angry. Can I just take a moment to thank all the divine powers out there?

Wait a minute though, was he really not upset? I studied him carefully.

He smirked at my uncertain expression before pulling me into his arms –"I told you, I'm not upset. Not at all."

"Why?" I asked, my voice muffled by his expensive, designer cloak.

"I trust you." He replied simply. The three words, even though they weren't a profession of his love for me, they were enough to make my heart swell with happiness. It was as though I hadn't lost years off my life today.

He kissed me softly before turning to look the beautiful environment before us. It was twilight, he obviously noted.

"You've had a long day. You should go home and rest."He said and I knew then that it was absolutely pointless to protest.

We stood up, exiting the way that we had entered, hand in hand. Except this time, his hand felt like comfort instead of a handcuff.

"I still can't believe I'm not mad at you. I'm questioning my sanity now." I informed him.

"Well you've always been a little eccentric, so don't be surprised." He replied.

"What?" I asked him, outraged. _Did he just call me crazy? _

"You hid the file amongst your sanitary napkins." He said in disgust as we walked towards the exit of the park.

I stopped dead in my tracks –"Wait, what did you just say?"

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**It's a short update but with every update, we're getting closer to the end. I can't thank you guys enough for the support that I have received for this story. I'd love to hear what you think should happen in your review so please leave a comment. Lots of love until the next update! xoxo **


	26. Chapter 26 Because

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 26. Because**

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When you keep old things in faith that they will never betray you, sometimes, the exact opposite happens. That was how Draco found Gerald Mc Domer's file in my cabin.

Remember my leather watch, my trusted accessory? That night, in my haste to hide the file away from prying eyes, I had hidden it in the first drawer I saw without any further thoughts. However, my watch was no longer on my wrist but on the floor. It had fallen and I hadn't noticed.

He never explained his reason for entering my cabin in my absence however I had assumed that it was because he wanted to have a look at one of the proposals that I had been studying. So anyway, he entered my cabin and very nearly crushed my watch under the soles of his designer shoes.

He had wanted to place it in my 'dresser' and inform me later that he had done so. In the process of returning my watch to me, he noticed the file amongst the other things which I cringe, thinking about.

I had yet to understand his blind trust in me. To be honest, if I were Draco and I were to discover something like that, I would probably wipe my girlfriend's existence off the face of the earth. I suppose, it's a good thing that Draco was not blessed with my temper.

Still though, it didn't make sense. Why didn't he suspect me of being a traitor? The fact that I had the file made me guilty. Why didn't he?

Unless of course, he know – it occurred to me as his words rang in my mind –"What kind of boss will I be if I didn't know what is going on behind my back?"

I pondered about this thoughtfully as I sat at my desk. I had a bit of free time now since I had wrapped up studying all the proposals a while back. It had been a good few days since the incident with the file had occurred and we were as strong as ever.

To his credit, Draco never showed any hint of being upset or even observing me. I guess if he was, I wouldn't know a thing since he was a trained spy.

I sat up from my comfortable chair as a thought occurred to me. _He knew! Did he know?_ _Of course he did!_

My thoughts were a mess right now. I was basically contemplating on whether Draco was aware of the villainous duo, Goyle and Audrina and their vile plans on blackmailing.

In any case, it was better to be safe than sorry. What I meant by this was that I had rather revealed that Audrina and Goyle were behind the blackmailing. I didn't want him to face this on his own. Also, if he found out that I was aware, or while it's unlikely, Audrina and Goyle could use me as bait to my own boyfriend. They could make it seem as though I was aiding them – I wouldn't put it past them.

I made my decision; I would go and reveal everything to him. I stood up determined, from my chair, my heels clicking as I exited my cabin and made my way down that all too familiar corridor that led me to Draco's cabin.

I did not bat an eyelash as I knocked softly on his door. However, my heart pounded furiously in my chest. Catching his quiet permission to enter, I pushed the heavy door open only to see my boyfriend sitting at his desk in all his powerful, corporate glory. He had apparently been looking through a proposal which I had read through yesterday.

"Ah, Ginny – To what do I owe this honour?" He asked lightly as he closed the plastic file shut. He looked exceedingly handsome today with muggle attire – a light blue shirt that brought out his grey eyes and light in his hair as well as black slacks and of course, designer Italian shoes.

His hair was slightly ruffled from all that unconscious touching he did while in the midst of concentration.

"D-Draco, we need to talk." I stuttered a little at first but soon firmed my resolve. It was now or well, later.

He eyed me calmly, his expression impassive as I began narrating from the very night I had encountered Goyle and Audrina. I had overheard them planning to seize the power of attorney of Malfoy Empire by using making Audrina seduce Draco. Of course, that obviously hadn't worked out hence the new plan of digging graves.

His eyes flashed as I recounted everything. I bit my lip, uncertain as I stared at him expecting a volatile reaction. He was angry, I could tell. Even though I didn't want it that way, my heart was now a thousand times lighter after I had told him everything.

I could tell that he was forcing himself to remain composed and truth be told, I was terrified. I knew he wouldn't hurt me but it scared me to think that I may be the cause behind this anger.

"What makes you think that I am unaware about this?" He asked me when he had finally forced the anger down.

"I-I don't know." I replied quietly suddenly finding the design of my shoes extremely interesting.

"Ginny- Ginny, look at me."He suddenly stood before me, tipping my head gently so that my gaze met his grey ones. He caressed my cheek lightly.

"I know-"And those two words were enough to tell me everything.

"Are you angry?" I asked quietly studying his features for any negative emotion.

"Angry? Yes! Furious, livid, murderous and any other word you can find in the dictionary that is synonymous to anger." He laughed harshly. –"However, none of this anger is directed at you, okay?" He explained to me gently as he pulled me into his arms for a sweet embrace.

I nodded my head, understanding as I took in his comforting scent. He held me tightly and we stood in peaceful silence. I focused myself to think about the dire circumstances. What were we going to do about Audrina and Goyle?

"Draco?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are we going to do about the villainous duo?"

"You mean, what am I going to do about the villainous duo?"

"No, I meant, _we _–"

Immediately, he pulled back from the embrace –"Ginny, you can't be serious?" He looked at me as though I had stated something completely stupid.

"I am-"I informed him, seriously. –"We are in this together, Draco."

"No." He glared at me even though he knew that it was absolutely pointless keeping me out of this. I wasn't sister of one of the members of the Golden Trio for nothing.

I gave him my best 'try and stop me' expression.

"Ginny, I'll be damned if I get you involved in any of this. Keep out!" His grey eyes flashed dangerously as he lowered his tone.

"I can't, Draco." I told him sincerely. And it was the truth. I simply couldn't.

"Why not?" He demanded, apparently infuriated by my stubbornness.

"Because –"I opened my mouth to explain but I stopped short when I realised what I was just about to do.

"Because?" He raised a sarcastic eyebrow as though waiting for me to continue.

"Because –"I replied simply.

_Good lord, Ginny! Were you just about to confess that your love to Draco? You silly girl, you need to keep your mouth shut._

I kept my mouth snapped shut determined to not let Draco know anything. He would have to use Leglimens now, if he wanted to know anything. All I knew was I was going to stand by him until the end.

He muttered something along the lines of 'stubborn, silly girl' to himself.

I chose to remain silent knowing that opening my mouth would eventually get me into trouble.

* * *

The rest of the day was pretty much spent uneventfully. I could tell Draco needed some space from me considering the fact that after that incident he did not once buzz me to his office. I chose to refrain from entering myself since the tasks that I had on hand were not much of his concern.

Finishing my work diligently – as I usually did – I packed my things and readied myself for another quiet night at home. The cold war was still ongoing. At home, it was as though I had thrown an Invisibility Cloak over myself at the dinner table. Since the dance, I could count the number of times I had dinner at home on one hand and that was seriously saying something.

If it wasn't for the fact that I was their daughter, I would be considered a paying guest. Everyone went about their own business as usual. Bill and Fleur were living at Shell Cottage and they occasionally joined us. Charlie and Mikayla had returned to Romania. Fred and George and their respective wives continued with the business down in Diagon Alley.

I never went to visit them anymore. As for Percy and Penelope, if Fred and George were not down for a visit at all by me, Percy was another story altogether. All that was left was my dearest brother ickle Ronniekins and his wife Hermione and best friend, Harry Potter. The Quidditch season was beginning and even though they had retreated to practice, they had yet to leave the Burrow.

To her credit, Hermione tried to make conversation with me whenever she saw me, which was rare. However, the other two were being insufferable prats even when they didn't open their mouths.

I could ask Channy to keep me company for dinner however; my best friend was one heck of an observant person. A look at me would be enough for her to deduce that something was not right. Hence, I made the decision to act like I had Harry's Invisibility Cloak strewn over my head.

I had long given up on the idea of Malfoy Empire's Floo gate actually being in operation hence I walked towards the entrance thinking that I will floo from the Leaky Cauldron. Despite Draco's countless support, I still could not get over my fear of apparating.

"Ginny – Wait!" Draco's familiar voice called out to me as I walked towards the glass doors. Apparently he had been standing at the reception – how had I missed that?

Wordlessly dismissing the receptionist whom I thanked heavens was not Audrina, he walked in my direction.  
"Let's go together, love." He stated brusquely as he held me by my elbow. I glanced at him in surprise. This was not what I had expected at all.

In fact, to be honest, I wasn't quite sure what I had expected of him but it definitely was not this.

We walked out of Malfoy Empire together, a warm breeze and the twilight sky greeting us. It had not been long since I had used the Knockturn Alley route, I mused as I recalled the other day when I had seen Audrina and Goyle.

"Don't even think about it-"Draco snapped as he caught me staring at the Knockturn Alley route.

"Don't what?" I looked at him, puzzled.

"Don't think about using that route. If you get to do things your way, than so do I." He informed me pointedly.

From his words, I had inferred that he had come to terms with me head butting into his affairs. Despite that inference, I chose not to pursue the topic further as the wound was still fresh. We continued in silence that was oddly enough comfortable despite the uncomfortable topic that had been wedged between us.

I sighed slightly to myself as I thought about my dinner plans –"I don't suppose I could tempt you out to dinner tonight?" I asked him conversationally.

He shook his head –"I have a pile of work waiting to be sorted. I will however escort you home." He looked at me pointedly.

Maybe this was his idea of revenge but we didn't go to The Leaky Cauldron as I had originally planned. He walked with me to the Apparition point and despite the inner protest, I kept silent. My unhappiness at this preferred mode of travel was reflected on my face though.

We had finally reached. I took a deep breath muttering chants of encouragement to myself, mentally.

Draco took my hand while eyeing me all the same –"It's about time you get over this ludicrous phobia of yours." He told me firmly.

_Ludicrous! _A synonym to absurd, ridiculous, crazy, odd, nonsensical – I fumed thanks to the help of my mental thesaurus.

How was having a phobia of apparating odd, exactly? One could lose limbs if they screwed up!

I opened my mouth to give Draco a piece of my mind and before I knew it, we were standing right outside the path that led to the Burrow.

_What in the world?_

I looked at Draco, half amazed and the other half with indignance. He smirked at me in response as he continued to lead me to my house.

"For the record, phobia of apparating is not _ludicrous._" I informed him crossly.

"You are welcome." He responded still smirking as his focus remained on the environment around us.

As usual, the air was fresh with the smell of grass lingering, the fields glittered as the sun set across the horizon. The sky was coloured with hues of red and orange.

"It's really peaceful around here." He commented. If I am not wrong, it was his second time coming around here.

I was used to it hence I shrugged –"It's home."

"When am I going to see that ghoul, Weasley?" He teased slyly, reminding me of that time when we had lunch together in the office and I had revealed that a ghoul resided in my attic.

"When you can cross the borders to the Burrow without my family members having a coronary-"I quipped in response. In all honesty, it was true. Besides, Draco would have the presence equivalent to that of a demi god's if he stood in our shabby kitchen.

I fought back a smile at the image presented in my head. Ron would definitely keel over and die if Draco were to appear. However, now would not be the best idea. I should think that if I were to invite Draco in, the consequences would be far more damaging than ole Voldy's uprising.

We had reached the gate to my cottage and without further ado; Draco immediately wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer so that we were merely inches apart.

I glanced at the Burrow before turning to Draco again –"I really can't tempt you to dinner?" I asked hopefully.

He shook his head, smiling lightly at me –"You know I have a pile of work to attend to."

"How can you work all day and still have a pile of work left? What have you actually been doing, huh?" I eyed him in mock suspicion.

"You tell me, it seems you know my schedule better than I do." He replied as he adjusted a loose strand from my braid.

"Touche-"I replied. One of the advantages of being a secretary to your boyfriend, you know what he did when and where.

"I'll make a move now, alright. You head inside –"He said as he released me from his hold.

I nodded my head, obediently. Immediately as though his arms around me earlier had been a mental block, my brain was swarmed with questions.

Draco had barely started down the part when I made the decision to stop him.

"Draco –"I called out before I could even stop myself.

He stopped midway, turning while eyeing me questioningly.

_What about Goyle and Audrina? _The question was at the tip of my tongue but I couldn't bring myself to say it and I didn't know why.

"I forgot something –"I informed him tersely as he continued eyeing me questioningly.

"What? You decided that risking a mass Weasley coronary was worth me seeing the ghoul in your attic?"

"Shut up, Draco. I forgot this-"I tiptoed and pulled him in for a kiss. I could tell that he was taken aback by my sudden action due to his lack of response but he responded soon enough. He kissed me sweetly, his arms around me, pulling me closer. I basked in his scent and the pleasure of having his lips against mine. He was all I needed.

"GINEVRA MOLLYANNE WEASLEY!" My brother, Ron thundered. We pulled apart and turned in the direction of the Burrow where the Dream Team had filled the porch one by one.

Ron's face had turned an ugly shade of prune as though he was being asphyxiated. He was breathing heavily and as always, the remaining two members of the Dream Team stood beside him wearing tensed expressions.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING WITH THAT SCUMBAG? COME HERE THIS VERY INSTANT!" Ron yelled looking absolutely livid now.

While both of us were blessed with Weasley traits such as the red hair, freckles and the notorious Weasley temper, I was one of the Weasleys who was blessed with an extra fiery temper. If my brother Ron was chilli sauce, I was like hot sauce or wasabi in comparison.

My blood boiled as I glared equally viciously at my brother. It had been a while; it was time to reintroduce him to my mean Bat Bogey Hex.

Draco's hold slipped and tightened around my arm as though he was afraid I would kill my brother with the Killing Curse if he let go. He now held my hand in his and he squeezed my hand lightly.

"LISTEN YOU PRICK-"I started out, fuming mad. –"THIS MAN WHOM YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HAPPENS TO BE MY BOYFRIEND."

"YEAH – WELL DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A MURDERER?" Ron taunted across the lawn. –"WHY DON'T YOU ASK HIM WHOM GERALD MCDOMER WAS?"

Continuing, he turned his livid stare on Draco and said –"Stay away from my sister, Malfoy. Don't force me to enforce that."

Before he could say anything else, l launched forward practically struggling to be released from Draco's arms. He had caught me before I could go any further to break Ron's nose.

"I KNOW WHO GERALD MCDOMER WAS, YOU BLITHERING IDIOT. STOP TRYING TO DICTATE MY LIFE!" I practically shrieked at him all while still struggling.

"Ginny-"Draco pulled me back.

"Let me at him, Draco!" I struggled as my vision was blinded with tears of anger. In the process of making my point known to Ron, I had hurt my throat but that didn't stop me. I was filled with mad rage.

"WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE?" My father, the usually mild and quiet Arthur Weasley stepped out of the Burrow. His raised voice was enough for the both of us to fall silent. Even Draco had loosened his monkey grip on me. He now eyed my father with caution.

"She's –"Ron began explaining the root of the current tiff with Dad but fell silent as soon as Dad gave him a warning glance.

"Barbarians, the whole lot of you –" He shook his head in disgust.

"B-" I began explaining but was hushed by my father.

"Don't let me get your mother involved in this." He warned.

After much persuasion, Ron was finally coaxed into retreating. In the meantime, I stood outside with Draco. With much difficulty, I forced myself to calm down.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." I said while looking at anywhere but him. Of course I was embarrassed. I mean what the hell had I been thinking? I was almost twenty four yet I had the attitude of a six year old – wanting to punch the daylights out of my brother like that.

"It's good to know some things haven't changed." He smirked lightly at this probably recalling all the times back in Hogwarts where I wanted to bleed my brother dry. Ron was really too much at times. He could drive me up the wall.

I felt blood pooling at my cheeks further in embarrassment and I continued averting my gaze.

"Well…I'll be going now." I muttered before making move to leave. However, Draco's grip stopped me.

"Your cheeks are as red as your hair." He teased much to my chagrin.

"Shut up, Draco." There, he had one more thing against me.

"On a more serious note, Ginny …"- He began as he pulled me into his arms –"The fact that your entire family is aware of this issue shows that this case is quite serious. Despite that –"

I knew where this was leading to and before he could finish his sentence, I hushed him by placing my palm over his lips.

"I know what I am doing, Draco. We're in this together." I assured him.

"I guess there is no arguing against you, is there?" He sighed, giving in to defeat.

"I'm glad that you've gotten to know me so well in such a short period of time." I smiled at my boyfriend sweetly as he looked me over in disapproval.

"Because?-"He asked wryly as he kissed my forehead lightly.

"Because-"I promised as I rested in his arms while basking in his heavenly scent.

_Because._

* * *

**I thought it wouldn't be fair to leave Ginny's family out of this especially with their connections in the ministry – however, they will only be maintaining a disapproving stance and no more. We're another chapter closer to the end! Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Looking forward to reading your reviews - xoxo**


	27. Chapter 27 The Game Plan

**Working for the Dragon**

**Chapter 27. The Game Plan**

* * *

_Geez, _you'd think that after having your brother explode at you like a Howler, your family would be more sympathetic and stop the Cold War. Or if that was too much then maybe Dad could say something along the lines of "Ginny, Ronald was just being himself so please don't _Avada _him in his sleep-"and then continue ignoring me but alas, one can only dream.

They just retreated to ignoring me as they usually did! I have never been so tempted to move out as much as I am now. I'd rather an empty house than living with people who act like I don't exist. Honestly, I was better off when they were all in Bulgaria.

I suppose I am being overly dramatic, juvenile, and irrational - and one could say that it is my fault that they are treating me like a social pariah or something but if only they would sit down and listen! Or give Draco a chance! My taste isn't that bad, afterall, I nursed a crush on Harry for years!

They are reacting as though Draco and I have eloped and gotten married! Or Draco was actually a Death-Eater and not a double agent! Or we're engaged or I don't know…..On that note, it would be really amazing if he proposed but well, one can dream of it happening. I don't even know if he loves me yet.

Having a phobia of apparating is not ridiculous! Instead, they are ridiculous. In fact, they are the epitome of all things ridiculous.

I huffed to myself as I slammed the file that I had been trying to decipher shut. I would need a dictionary if I actually wanted to finish this by today. I could barely understand any of it. In all honesty, this was not in the job scope of a mere secretary but over the course of working with Draco, he had somehow discovered that I could and I got stuck since then. Not that I hated it, however it just was not on my list of favourite things to do at work.

"Problems, Weasley?" The sound of my boss's greeting had me startled.

"You think?" I muttered to myself without bothering to look up.

"What is forcing you to put those unused brain cells to use?" He quipped as he settled comfortably at the seat opposite my desk before picking up the file I had just chucked.

"Very funny, Draco-"I replied still not focusing my attention on him. I wasn't exactly at my happiest right now not to mention the pile of work resting before me.

"In any case, you can work on this later. Why don't you grab your cloak so that we can make a move?" He asked casually, still flipping through the file.

And with that sentence, he had gained my undivided attention. –"Where are WE going?" I asked cautiously, emphasizing on the 'We'.

I ran a mental scan through his schedule and drew a blank. Based on my knowledge, he didn't have any appointments. _Maybe he decided to give some time to his social life, or his love life, Ginny. _

I nodded my head mentally. It made sense.

"I have an appointment which I would like you to accompany me to." He explained vaguely.

As a secretary, I knew my job was to accompany my boss wherever however with Draco it was a different case altogether. I rarely accompanied him to meetings, conferences. He rarely required my presence at such places. It was rather odd but now I was accustomed to it.

It didn't seem to be a work-related appointment otherwise I would have been made well aware of it. I also knew about his current social appointments therefore I deemed that this had to be an impromptu social appointment in which my presence would obviously not be required much. In any case, I had a ton of work to finish and a file to translate.

"How about you carry on without me?" I suggested –"I have quite a bit of work left." While I would love a chance to spend time with my incredibly attractive boyfriend whom I was madly in love with, I had priorities. And this time around, my work was far more important.

"You're forgetting the fact that I am your boss, Weasley. And when I say that I want you to accompany me, I don't mean anything less." He said firmly.

I stared at him in surprise. This was the first time that he had spoken to me in such a brusque, abrupt manner. Before we were together, it was always sarcasm and witty remarks.

"Draco? Why are you being like this?" I asked solemnly.

"I never gave you a choice. Grab your cloak and let's leave-"He stood up and practically stalked out of my office. I did not even get a chance to speak a word.

I knew from his very Malfoy-esque exit that he wanted me to follow him at that very instant. To be honest, a part of me wanted to rebel, boyfriend or not boyfriend but the other part knew that it was a bad idea.

Submitting though unwillingly, I grabbed my purple cloak, satchel and followed him – I wasn't happy about this and I decided that I would convey my unhappiness verbally. He honestly couldn't have been more inconsiderate.

We walked along the corridors of Malfoy Empire. We were heading towards the Malfoy Empire Floogate. _It was working? Gee, I had completely given up on the idea. _

_Stupid, inconsiderate, annoying prick with who I am madly in love with. _He thinks the whole world is at his feet. We were or at least Draco was greeted by the various staff we passed as we walked by. I got dirty looks from some, mostly the female staff.

_Yeah, take my job, sacrifice your social life and get an inconsiderate boss – _I thought snarkily to myself.

Suddenly, it was as though I was hit by déjà vu. I used to walk along this very corridor cursing Draco when I had first started out. Life hadn't been easy then and it was definitely not all rainbows and sunshine now.

We had reached – I glared at the Floogate vehemently as though it was the cause of all of this.

"We need to talk-"I informed Draco firmly. He looked mildly surprised at my outburst.

"And what could possibly be more important than our appointment?" He arched a platinum blonde eyebrow.

"This. Us –"I looked at him, determined to get my point across. Boyfriend, boss – whatever, he had to realise that I had my priorities too.

He nodded his head slightly as though willing me to continue. I glanced around before swallowing hard. Thanks to the press, everyone knew that we were in a relationship despite being boss and secretary. And while they could be thinking that Draco and I were going at it like bunnies in his office for all I care but I didn't want the people around us to know that there was 'trouble in paradise'.

"Draco, you were terribly rude today. Do you know how much of work I have waiting for me on my desk? No! But you come in all your _handsome glory_ stating that you have an appointment and you need me to accompany you and you won't take no for an answer! The worst part is, I didn't even know you had an appointment – I'm your secretary, I should be aware of such things. Not only that, after all this, you would still expect me to meet the dateline thus ensuring that I abandon the remnants of –"He covered my lips with his palm effectively cutting me off in the middle of my rant.

He had wrapped his free arm around my waist basically capturing me so that I could neither move nor scream. I wriggled as I threw him the hardest glare I could muster and he smirked as he took in my livid expression. Boyfriend or not, I was ready to murder him.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, love. Breathe." He advised me.

"Mmpf-"I struggled to get my words across.

"Breathe-"He repeated once again.

To humour him, I did as he said taking the deepest breath I could.

"That's my girl-"

_Yeah, I'll show you your girl just let me get my wand._

Before I knew it, I was being navigated to the Floogate against my own will. The Floogate was big enough for two, apparently. My freedom of speech had been returned however if I opened my mouth now, I would end up choking to death from the soot. Clutching my hand tightly, Draco threw floo powder thus making the fire roar and turn into green flames.

He said something barely comprehensible against the roaring flames and before I knew it, we were stepping out hand in hand.

"Not my most preferred mode of transport but beggars can't be choosers." Draco muttered, obviously displeased by the fact that there was soot all over his forest green designer, velvet robes.

I was not much better off either, but I take soot over getting splinched any day. I looked up, curious as to where his so called appointment was at but he shielded my view by stepping in front of me.

Thanks to his wand, the both of us were now more presentable than before. I was still mad at him though, nothing had changed.

"I hate you. You're such an inconsiderate prick – you don't even let me…." I started once again. He stepped out of the way revealing a wooden shelf filled with the oddest, animate objects effectively succeeding in making me pause midway.

The room was a shade of cream, the curtains a cheery yellow and there was a white leather sofa with fluffy red pillows. It was a typical cabin that one would expect to see in an office but with a cheerier outlook. The desk was very much like mine – piled with paperwork. And there were a few photo frames that were not in my view. A wall had been converted into a giant collage filled with colourful and familiar looking kiddie drawings – some of which looked oddly familiar.

I stepped forward to take a closer look. "Merlin, this looks just like what Teddy …." And this time, I stopped myself from continuing. Why, we were in Tonk's office of course!

Everything had begun to make sense – the secrecy, Draco's insistence that I accompany him. Blood began to pool at my cheeks as I remembered how I had reacted. I cringed as I looked at anywhere but my boyfriend's face.

He was eyeing me in amusement now, I could tell. I continued to pretend that I found a piece of drawing very interesting as a strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist.

"Don't hate me so much now, do you?" He teased lightly in my ear as he leaned down so that his head rested on my shoulder.

"Ugh…"I groaned-"You are incorrigible." I turned and buried my head in his chest still refusing to meet his eyes.

His head now rested on mine –"What can I say? I live to tease Ginny Weasley."

"I overreacted-"I admitted –"It was all frustration from-"

"Are you on your time of the month?" He quipped, I pulled back to glare at him.

"Okay, okay." He raised his arms in surrender –"I should know better, I would be dead if that were the case."

"Glad you know it." I said stiffly.

He tipped my chin and kissed my lips lightly –"Don't be mad okay? Your dateline is extended, I promise. Not unless you want to spend a night alone with me in the office."

"I value my sleep." I told him.

"Isn't my offer tempting you in the slightest?" He teased, his grey eyes twinkling like stars.

"Not one bit –" I insisted.

"Well…..what do you know – we might have to tweak that." And he captured my lips with his.

"If you lovebirds are done snogging in my office, I'd like to get this appointment over with." An amused voice had us both out of the little world that we had created in the last few moments.

We turned to Tonks sheepishly and she ushered us to our seats opposite hers.

"Come on now, lovebirds. We haven't got all day." She joked as the three of us finally settled.

A tray filled with tea and goodies had appeared before us. Tonks took charge pouring a cup for each as she spoke –"I see the girlfriend has finally gotten herself involved."

"Couldn't keep her away –" Draco shrugged good naturedly in defeat.

"Hey!" I protested –"You say that like it's a bad thing. I may just put an end to this case."

Tonks nodded seriously as though she was considering what I had just said –"You could be our lucky charm. Merlin knows we haven't had any luck in this case and I've been working on it since McDomer's death."

"How long would that be?" I asked curiously, I had read about it in the Daily Prophet of course but I couldn't place the date.

"Hmm… a couple of months before you joined the empire. Give or take – six?" Tonks said thoughtfully –"I've never been any good with dates."

-"Anyway, since Ginny is here, we should probably fill her in from the start." She continued brightly.

Draco nodded, gesturing for his cousin and the Auror in charge of this case to carry on.

"What do you know about Gerald McDomer, Ginny?" Tonks asked as she looked at me with an appraising eye.

"Not much –"I admitted – my attempt at playing detective had been foiled by my own boyfriend.

"We shall start from the beginning – Draco, why don't you start?" Tonks urged him.

I nodded my head in encouragement – he would tell it best.

"Gerald McDomer used to be…." He paused whether for dramatic effect or not, I couldn't tell –"My right-hand man."

"Like how Lucius Malfoy was for Voldemort?" I had a momentary indiscretion. Merlin, I wanted to bang my head on the wall after I said that.

"Well, if you put it that way…" He replied rather dryly might I add. Draco hated talking about his late father.

-"So anyway…" He continued –"He was one of the pillars of Malfoy Empire aside from Mother, Blaise and me. Malfoy Empire continued to grow and succeed in many ventures until one day…"

I sat listening intently. Gerald McDomer had been in charge of handling the Malfoy Empire accounts. On a fine day, he happened to be away on a business conference when an issue regarding the company accounts came up. Upon reviewing, Draco had found in fraudulent handling of the company funds. In a fit of anger, Draco had confronted McDomer and things had gotten right out of hand, to the point where the both wizards had almost resorted to using fists.

Draco had McDomer thrown out of the office with death threats if he were to be spotted anywhere near again. Did I mention that there was a huge spectacle? Almost everyone who worked for Draco then witnessed his rage? He had wanted to keep this within the four walls of the office and had even had his employees sign a privacy agreement.

While outside, a drunken and infuriated Mc Domer had spread words of malice around about Draco. The press was having a field day with all the corporate drama and things got a thousand times more scandalous when McDomer winded up dead in his apartment one night.

Foul play was suspected especially with the news then and of course, Draco ended up being the prime suspect. They had no incriminating evidence but with his past, Draco was the murderer in the eyes of the press, public and of course, my family.

As of now, the Auror department had caught wind of the fact that Goyle, Audrina and McDomer were partners in the whole 'Get Draco's money' scheme. They knew that Goyle and Audrina were the masterminds behind this and had plans to blackmail Draco. They assumed that Draco would give in because he didn't want Narcissa to die of a broken heart if he were to get incriminated. After all, Draco loved Narcissa more than anyone else in the world. She was the only parent he had left.

Little did they know that Draco was secretly working with Aurors so that they could get concrete evidence from the scheming duo. They had underestimated the duo of course – Audrina and Goyle had their tracks covered. Each time, Aurors came up with a false link.

I sat there working my brains around this as Draco and Tonks discussed their next action. It seemed to me that they had been treading carefully thus far – too carefully in fact. It was only natural to want to protect their ground before entering the enemy's lair. However, as my thoughts dwelled on this, I realised that the best way to attack your enemy was to know their weakness.

Audrina and Goyle may have been smart but they had their weakness, they were naturally loud-mouthed, boastful idiots.

I had overheard them many times. It's a pity this had not occurred to me then, we would have saved a lot of time and effort.

"We need to look before we leap, Draco…"I heard Tonks agreeing with Draco as I prolonged my mind-wrapping. I had an idea that I had to share and the best part was that I had a good feeling about this.

"Actually…."I began casually as the two of them turned their attention to me. –"The way I see it, you have been too cautious with this. You have to leap into this matter and beat Audrina and Goyle at their own game."

"What are you getting at, Ginny?" Draco eyed me suspiciously. That's probably because he knew that I was always filled with rash and risky ideas.

"I have a game plan." I said as grimly as I could. I wanted this matter to end and fast.

-"I propose a _confrontation_."

* * *

**Getting warmer… What do you think is going to happen? :O**

**I'm on a two week break now thank goodness – jam packed with projects and assignments and maybe work of course. **** But I will try my best to wrap this story up by New Year's. That's the plan. **

**Leave your thoughts in your reviews – I look forward to reading them (: Thank you so much for supporting Working for the Dragon. xoxo**

**P.S: My heart goes out to all those affected in the Connecticut massacre. I'm not from USA but hearing such news is terribly saddening. RIP to the little angels, brave teachers and staff. Goodness only knows that we need more of such courageous, self-sacrificing souls in this world. **


	28. Chapter 28 Caught in Your Own Game

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 28**. **Caught in Your Own Game**

* * *

The plan was simple – catch Audrina and Goyle at their own game. How? Where? When? I had no idea but my instincts told me that this idea would sail through like a breeze.

Draco had of course sat there in all his glory, glaring at me disapprovingly as I explained my idea. Tonks on the other hand had looked thoughtful. She honestly looked as though she had been considering it.

"Leave it to you to come up with a reckless idea." He snapped at me, immensely irritated by Tonk's analysis.

"Your current plan has brought you zero success. The criminals are still out there. The worst part is that they are right under your nose and you can't do a single thing about it and you are Draco bloody Malfoy! Do you actually want to talk about how terribly ridiculous my plan is?" I demanded while poking him on his chest.

My words then had caused him to stare at me wordlessly. I had huffed and looked away even though all I wanted to do then was throw a victorious punch in the air. Rendering the love of your life speechless was a rather pleasant feeling.

"Believe it or not, Draco, she actually has a point." Tonks had said much to Draco's dismay and my triumph.

-"I've thought up of the perfect way of improving it. It may sound reckless but everybody will be under scrutiny at all times, I assure you that." And she began explaining how this plan would rid us of the troublesome duo.

One of Draco's greatest weaknesses was that ever since the Great War, the remaining Malfoys were under media scrutiny. The media was dying to vomit an article on any Malfoy especially Draco with his good looks and penchant for dating heiresses and supermodels before I came into the picture.

With the McDomer scandal, Draco dwelled deeper in surveillance from the media. In fact, if Rita Skeeter had not already had her license revoked, she might just be hovering around him.

Draco's announcement at the Ball about him being off the market thanks to me had gotten him deeper. It was no secret that the Malfoys and the Weasleys had bad blood between one another. Despite the fact that the relationships between both families had been fairly civil, my relationship with Draco had aroused media curiosity.

While this was considered a weakness most of the time, Tonks had decided that she would make it our strength. In other words, she meant that she wanted to lure Audrina and Goyle using the media's influence.

And that was exactly what she had done. Ever since that day in Tonk's office, I had taken up to reading the Daily Prophet before heading to work each morning. Draco had been on the headlines for the last couple of days. The news mainly centred around the Malfoy Empire Scandal, lovingly dubbed by the journalist who was following up on the issue.

Thankfully the media had not approached me for a comment of sorts. If a simple headline caused this much of havoc outside the Malfoy Empire with herds of media officials wanting a mere comment, I shuddered to think what would happen if I wore a solitaire in Draco's name around my finger.

The case had taken a new lead it seems, the Aurors had found solid evidence of Draco's innocence. The articles were not at all subtle when they insinuated the findings of incriminating evidence against the actual culprit. They were not too far off from getting caught.

Today's article was roughly along the same lines as well.

Over the last couple of days, we carried about our own business as we usually did even though both our security had increased. I had a different Auror waiting to escort me to work each morning which meant no more flooing through the Leaky Cauldron or taking the short cut through Knockturn Alley.

I had of course deemed the Auror officials whom were handling Draco's case as paranoid. I didn't understand why my security was concerned. I had protested a couple of times but Draco refused to budge. Security was rather tight; I was allowed to go about my daily routines, nights out etc but I had to keep someone informed of my whereabouts.

Draco had initially wanted me to have an escort but I threw a fit. Imagine if Draco knew about my confrontation with Audrina a long time ago when I had caught her snooping around his office, it would mean the end of my social life till those two got caught. Ever since the newspaper articles had been published, things at home had started looking better. My family had attempted small talk with me; it was mostly spawned by curiosity I'm sure.

I didn't really entertain them mostly for the reason that I was not allowed to. I sort of enjoyed the attention though. _Who wouldn't after being deprived for months? _Even then though, my replies consisted mostly of hmms and slight nods.

Deeming it another 'ordinary' day at work, I hurried there as fast as I could. I had quite the pile to work on. Draco was rather busy too it seemed. Based on his schedule, he was pretty much out of the office for the entire day. Thankfully though my presence was not required – he did request though but that was mostly because he's my boyfriend and he's worried for my safety.

I got there safe and sound and my boyfriend was informed thanks to the security measures. Not everyone in Malfoy Empire was aware of the recent additions to the already tight security. Only those who had access to restricted authorised personnel only areas.

It was an awfully lonely morning at work even though I was busy – no rude boyfriend, no best friend, no best friend's boyfriend. It wasn't as though I had no friends outside this circle in the office – I did. However, when your boss was your boyfriend as well as the owner of the company that you worked for, your contact with the rest of the office was mostly cut off. I had acquaintances but I didn't fancy myself eating with them for lunch.

I decided to head over to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch when I had reached my target. By the time I was done, lunch hour was long gone and I was starving. I grabbed my satchel eager to get my hands on some grub and satisfy my grumbling stomach.

I made my way to the floogate which was thankfully not under maintenance. The corridors were quiet as most were at their respective cubicles – usually, very few people could be sighted walking along these corridors at this hour.

I quickened my pace towards the floogate because my imagination was simply adding to my hunger. All of a sudden, a darting figure caught my eye. I stopped dead in my tracks as I stared at the corridor wondering whether it had been my eye playing tricks on me.

My instincts told me otherwise as realisation set in – that was the route to the room with files. It could have been my eye playing tricks on me. I had a choice now, I could choose to carry on with lunch or I could go and see for myself.

If I went on with lunch, I wouldn't be able to swallow a bite because my mind would be on the room all thanks to the recent events. I could go and check now and carry on with lunch once I had my doubts cleared. I opted with Option B – lunch would have to wait.

Sighing, I took out my wand and made my way along the corridor. Mind you, I wasn't exactly subtle. My kitten heels clicked along the tiles as I walked over – I suppose it was my way of giving them a heads up. The corridor was empty as expected – ever since security was upped, very few people came here. I for one avoided this area entirely because I had a very demanding, overbearing boyfriend. Today was another story altogether.

I looked around for any signs of suspicious activity but I found none. It may have just been my imagination after all although I cannot imagine why I would think about this place. My stomach rumbled reminding me of my hunger. I chose to stick with my conclusion and moved to leave this place. I had barely moved an inch when something shiny caught my eye. It appeared to be a rock.

Upon further examination, I realised that it was a single, diamond encrusted ear stud. I knelt to pick it up. Bad decision – I was painfully jabbed in my ribs with what I assumed was a wand.

"I should have known only you would choose to sneak up behind my back, Audrina."

* * *

**Up next, next chapter & the epilogue - THE END**

**I can't thank you enough for supporting me on this journey. I started this story when I was 18 and now I'm going to be 21 in a couple of months. It was my first story on Fanfiction and sometimes I cringe thinking about it but I love it anyway – I won't delete this story, neither will I edit it. **

**I have received so much of love for this story. Goodness knows that I need to update more religiously and start stories only when I know I can finish them. I promise that is in my resolution for 2013. **

**Please please please do review. :D **


	29. Chapter 29 Better You Than Draco

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 29. Better You than Draco**

* * *

As terribly clichéd as this sounded, Audrina cackled manically as I greeted her. I should have been afraid considering the fact that she had the power to finish me within seconds. Strangely enough though, I was a touch amused. I suppose that was my body's own way of dealing with screwed up situations – I blame the Chamber incident for this dysfunctional behaviour.

"You little bitch…." She laughed as though I had just told her a joke –"I finally got you where I want you."

"You know Audrina, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you have a crush on me." I replied dryly_. _

That snarky retort seemed to fuel her desire to hurt me further. She jabbed her wand hurtfully in my ribs.

"How will dear Draco react when he finds out that his precious princess is in our captivity?" She said nastily as I winced from the pressure on my ribs.

"Captivity –"I retorted, gritting my teeth trying to be brave. –"That's a pretty big word, isn't it? Do you know how to spell it?"

"Shut up, you…" She began while I seized the opportunity.

"Expelliarmus!" I yelled as I leaped to my feet, pointing my wand at her. I caught her wand on one hand.

"It's a pity that this was short-lived, don't you think? Now I'll see your sorry ass in Azkaban-" I smirked triumphantly.

"Petri-"Before I could begin to perform the Full Body Binding curse, I was attacked from the back. A sharp pain exploded through my head as I felt myself get hit hard. My senses were awry and I began to fade out, my triumph having been short-lived.

"H-haven't you guys…." My vision blurred and my speech slurred. –"Hearddd of ….front." I voiced out my final thoughts before completely blacking out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

My head hurt; a lot – just about say ten times worse than a hangover. _Did I maybe drink too much last night? _I wondered as I felt the constant throbbing and rising nausea. I received my answer though as images of the attack outside the corridor flashed in my head.

I groaned as I opened my eyes, groggily to a rather dim and damp surrounding. _Holy Merlin! Were we underground? _This place oddly reminded me of the Chamber of Secrets, it even smelled like it.

Needless to say, my heart rate accelerated at the thought. I may have been abducted by Dumb and Dumber but those two were vicious. I couldn't even scream. One look at the place was enough to inform anyone that even if I did, no one would hear me for miles.

"Aww… Draco's princess is awake." Audrina said sounding falsely sweet. I wriggled, itching to slap her and found out then that both my hands and legs were tied together tightly with ropes. I could feel the discomfort in my circulation.

I glared at her fiercely. This wasn't over – just wait till I get out of here. She'll have a firsthand experience of my infamous Bat Bogey Hex.

She slapped me sharply –"Don't make me gauge your eyeballs out." She warned even though it was obvious that she was warming up to that idea.

My cheeks were stinging terribly; a mark was definitely going to be there. I literally felt her long fingernails claw me. Of course, that one slap didn't stop me from throwing her another hateful glare. That resulted in me earning another tight slap on the other cheek. I felt blood trickle from the scratch she had made. My eyes stung from the pain and tears threatened to fall. I wouldn't give in, I gritted my teeth.

She raised her hand to slap me another time but was stopped.

"Audie, Audie… You're not supposed to lay a hand on her." I turned in the direction of the source only to see Goyle entering. He threw me an oily smirk as his eyes raked up and down my body.

My outfit was slightly askew thanks to the little fight with Audrina earlier. She obviously hated me enough to leave my modesty exposed. The first two buttons from my blouse had fallen and my pencil skirt was torn at the sides. In that moment, I felt extremely vulnerable and fearful as the power of the devilish duo set in.

Goyle could have his way with me and from the looks of it, he seemed quite interested. And Audrina, I was absolutely sure that if she could shove her wand in my kidney, she wouldn't hesitate. Not to mention the Unforgivables.

"But… But... She was being mean to me, Greggy." Audrina said to her boyfriend, pretending to sniffle.

_Hello! I'm the victim here! _Not that I was dying for Goyle's undivided attention but look at the irony of the situation.

"Well, I will just have to teach her little lesson, won't I?" He smirked at me, his eyes descending to my particularly exposed chest area. I was… thankfully not very blessed in that aspect but I had enough to gain unwanted attention at times. Like now, for instance.

I gulped mentally. I had never felt so powerless yet at the same time I was glad that it was me here instead of my boyfriend. These thoughts ran through my head as I eyed Goyle and Audrina. How he got her to leave the room was beyond me. Suddenly it sank in that it was just the two of us in the room.

"How well can you handle pain, Princess?" Goyle asked me pleasantly as he walked closer as if asking me about the weather.

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco,_

My mind chanted that in reassurance to me.

"Just about as well as you can handle the OWLs." I shot back. If I was going to go down, I'll go but not without throwing a few verbal punches – since I was pretty much bounded and all.

"Feisty aren't we?" He smirked, appraising me further. –"Does it come with the hair?"

I opened my mouth to throw an insulting remark his way, but he spoke before I could get anything out.

-"I suppose I will have to find out myself..." He edged nearer to me, a gleeful look on his face.

I wriggled helplessly as I tried backing away from him. It was then that my resolve started to crumble.

-"W…what a..are you..?" I said shakily as I eyed him fearfully.

"Relax, love. I'm just trying to have some fun." He grabbed me roughly by my hair. I probably had a few bald patches here and there and a killer headache in the making.

"Get away from me you horrid son of a bitch." I shouted pushing away with my bounded wrists.

I cried out in pain as he literally pulled me up by my hair. I looked away from him the very second I had realised what his intentions were. He wanted to kiss me. And tried, he did but I put up a fight shrieking and struggling to get my face away from his disgusting one.

"Greg…What are you doing?" The both of us turned only to notice Audrina's smile fading as she stood at the entrance.

As if a reflex reaction, Goyle practically threw me on the ground like I was hot potato. I cried out as my funny bones were introduced to the ground. I turned amidst my tears of pain to see Goyle looking a tad bit guilty.

"This little bitch needs to be taught a lesson." He growled obviously in an effort to take her questioning eyes off him. He kicked me hard in the stomach.

"Aah…" Pain shot through my upper body as I moaned in agony. He knelt before me, slapping me hard on each cheek, laughing like the sick bastard that he was. The worst part was probably the fact that this seemed to be a mere warm up for both of them. I knew they were capable of worse especially when magic was involved.

"Nobody said we couldn't have fun with Draco's princess while waiting." He declared much to Audrina's happiness. He picked me up by my hair again before shoving me roughly to the wall. I couldn't shield myself and so my skull made contact with the cold concrete.

My head felt like someone had just tried to shake up my entire system. I was dizzy and I wanted vomit at the same time. My head throbbed as though it was no longer my head but my heartbeat instead.

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco,_

I muttered to myself or well, tried to. From the corner of my eye, I could see Audrina and Goyle watching me, amused at my position.

"You think we can increase ransom if we show Draco what we can do and have done to her?" Audrina wondered as she looked at me before pecking her boyfriend on his cheek.

"That's a brilliant idea, Audie." Goyle sneered while looking at me. –"Since we got nothing out of the murder and blackmailing, kidnap the golden goose and wait for our prize money."

-"You hear that, Princess? You are our golden goose now. Draco wouldn't want a scratch on his Princess. We're going to have Draco beg us not to hurt you."

As much as I was hurting all over, my mind was surprisingly comprehensive as I understood their plan. Initially they were blackmailing Draco over Gerald McDomer's death however, when nothing came out of it, they were going to use me as bait to lure Draco into giving them ransom money. One thing was confirmed for sure, they were the ones behind Gerald McDomer's death.

My heart ached when I thought of how my boyfriend felt, wherever he was. _Draco, be safe, wherever you are. _

They were going to hurt me more now. Maybe till my death. It was so ironic really. My family had worked so hard to keep me alive during the Great War to the point where they sent me away to a Muggle University. I had been so sheltered and so protected throughout my entire life, especially after the Chamber incident. It hurt to think about the grief that my family would go through.

Despite all the issues we had now, I knew they loved me and I, them. I loved them all. I loved Draco, Channy, Blaise, Luna, Neville, Colin and even my muggle friends from University who kept me sane then. _I'm sorry, everyone. I love you all. _I thought to myself as I finally started to really cry. I was never going to see them again but the cause was worth it.

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better – Oh bloody hell, Ginny. Are you really not going to try and save yourself? You're not going to die a martyr's death! You're going to be beaten to a pulp and raped. Or if you die being raped, you are going to be raped anyway because Goyle is one fucked up son of a bitch. YOU HAVE TO TRY! SCREAM! FIGHT BACK! THINK!_

My conscience practically screamed at my battered spirit. I was having an internal battle of my own. The resolve that I had earlier had crumbled to dust once I realised the power that Goyle held over me. Audrina was another story but if I egged Goyle on….

_THINK! _

And with that, I was immersed in my own thoughts tuning out my kidnappers as I tried to think of a method that would save my life.

I didn't know wandless magic.

I didn't know Leglimency or Occlumency.

I had no way of contacting Draco or Tonks or my family members for that matter.

I had…. Wait a minute! I did!

They say that under the influence of pain or alcohol, people become loopy. And so even though my plan sounded incredibly sado-masochistic as it started forming, it was the best that I had. It was getting harder to stay focused, conscious even. Darkness was beginning to surround me but I had to try. I had to, for my sake, for my family's sake and for Draco.

"Yyou tthhinnkk ttthat a few punches and kicks are going to hurt me? You are wrong…" I taunted weakly from where I laid. For the extra effect, I forced out a laugh, hiding a wince.

In the middle of my thinking, I hadn't realised that Goyle had exited the room once more. As I noticed now, my resolve started to put itself back together. If only I could get Audrina alone long enough, she was perfect.

True to my words, Audrina glared at me furiously. –"Shut up, you bitch."

"At … least I'm not spreading my legs for just anybody." I reminded her. –"You can't do anything to hurt me, Audrina." I spoke strongly this time as I noticed my words getting to her.

"You better shut up before I use an Unforgivable on you." She threatened looking at me murderously.

"You need that money too much to hurt me." I replied confidently. It was true though. They wouldn't kill me. Not yet at least.

-"And besides, you need to mean an Unforgivable before you say it. You can't do anything to me, Audrina. You useless slut – As if Draco would fall for someone like you. You classless whore, I may be poor but at least I have my morals. You'd spread your legs for a Knut." I spat disgustedly at her.

"Shut up!" She screamed at me, kicking me at my ribs.

"It's the truth!" I wheezed, gasping from the newest pain that I was currently experiencing. –"Are you going to torture me once you hear the truth? Oh please! You can't even cast a spell right!"

"Shut up or I'll crucio you." She threatened, slapping me again.

"You can't." I taunted.

"CRUCIO!" She screamed lividly as she pointed her wand at me.

Before I knew it, I screamed at the top of my lungs as I was engulfed in excruciating pain. I wanted it to stop, that's all I wanted. There was no part of my body that was void of pain. I wasn't going to survive this.

After what felt like eternity, Audrina stopped and even then, the effect of the curse was still in place. Darkness surrounded me welcoming me to its warm embrace. I had to stay strong even though I was suddenly unsure of myself and of my plan.

What on earth gave me the idea that I could survive this?

If Neville Longbottom's parents (who were trained Aurors) couldn't survive this, what made me thought I could?

And that mental war waged on.

"That was only the beginning. You know, I quite enjoy you suffering in pain, screaming. I think I'm going to do it again." She said.

-"CRUCIO!"

And I screamed once again. Being a tad bit familiar with the pain did little to get rid of it. My senses were heightened as I was tortured once again. Tears flowed from my eyes, begging Audrina to stop hurting me. I was going to lose my mind.

_Better you than Draco, _

_Better you than Draco, _

A sane part of my mind chanted. As she stopped, I had known then that I had tried my best. And even though I had kept fighting the darkness from the very minute that my skull had collided with the concrete wall, I had to give in some time or another. I loved everyone and I loved Draco, but I was never going to be able to tell him that.

And with that last regretful thought, I embraced the darkness like an old friend.

* * *

"Milady." Draco grinned cheekily as he opened his arms in an inviting embrace.

"Why thank you, kind sir." I grinned back at him replying like a lady of elegance before settling comfortably into his arms. Both of us laughed knowing that I was not at all like that.

It was a beautiful spring day, so beautiful that one would be pinched with regret if he or she spent it indoors. The sun shone brightly in the clear, blue sky. The grass looked like a soft and lush green carpet while the spring flowers bloomed, its sweet scent filling the air thanks to the slight cool breeze.

I was out spending the day with Draco who had laughed when I had remarked that the sky reminded me of my laundry, fresh. He always thought that I had the quirkiest remarks in that head of mine.

It had been a pretty peaceful day thus far. Draco and I had spent most of it, on a picnic. We had fed each other strawberries before we cuddled in each other's arms while lying on the grass. Well, Draco lied on the grass partially because I had convinced him to. I lay in his warm, protective arms because he hadn't wanted to get my dress dirty.

Although you know, we were wizards and we could get our clothes cleaned with a mere zap and all that jazz. I wore an old vanilla white spaghetti, knee-length dress with a sweetheart neckline. My hair was let loose and all mussed up thanks to my boyfriend and the breeze. I had spent the last couple of minutes studying a dubious looking Cauldron Cake as Draco held me in his arms.

He had kissed me earlier lightly distracting me as I tried to read the ingredients and the expiry date off the packaging. I had giggled as some of his kisses were at sensitive parts of my neck.

"Draco!" I had protested as I struggled to get out of his strong grip. –"Let me read the ingredients!" I scolded him with a smile on my face.

He buried his head in my neck planting a kiss as he spoke –"I'll buy you Honeydukes if you let me have my dessert in peace."

I struggled out of his grasp, laughing as I did so but to no avail. His grip over me was strong, protective just like I always loved.

"Draco, let me go." I laughed as I pleaded with him.

"No can do, love." He replied as he turned us over so that I was beneath him. I arched my back in pleasure as he left burning trails of gentle, butterfly kisses down my neck.

"Draco…" I moaned as his lips touched a particularly sensitive spot. –"I love you, I love you so much."

Draco froze as if he had heard my confession.

"Well guess what, Ginny….." He pulled back smiling. –"I…"

* * *

**This is not the last chapter. I split it because I felt that it would be too long and draining to read so much! **

**Please, please please review, we are a step closer to the end. I will update faster this time because the next chapter is just about done. So guys, hit the button and leave a comment to a faster final update. **

**If anyone can guess how Ginny was found, you will get a final chapter dedication. It's actually pretty obvious, the answer is in the text itself, you just have to infer. Once again, thank you so much for the support that I have received. You guys rock! **


	30. Chapter 30 Revelations

**If anyone is confused, the last bit in the previous chapter was Ginny's dream while unconscious. I had to break the chapter up because it was way too long and I chose to end it there. **

**To Marinka & The One and Only (who is also my 300****th**** reviewer) **

**Thank you both for being loyal readers. **

**So there we go, this is the last chapter for Working for the Dragon. The journey has finally come to an end. **

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 30. Revelations**

* * *

You know how sometimes you are half-asleep and before you open your eyes you can tell that you're feeling crappy? Well, that pretty much summarises how I felt right now except for the fact that I had been jostled out of a good dream. I had been dreaming of Draco. In my dream, I had confessed my feelings for him in the middle of what was going to be a really hot snogging session. I sighed happily, still half asleep as I thought of kissing Draco.

Eventually the sun shining from the window had won and I was forced to open my eyes. Needless to say I was disoriented from sleep and the fact that I did not remotely recognise my surroundings. I tried sitting up but to no avail. I felt like I had fallen off a broomstick, or worse. In any case, I ached all over and I could barely move.

"Oh. You're up." An unfamiliar woman greeted me brusquely wearing what I recognised as the mandatory nurse uniform at St Mungo's. My eyes widened as I took in my surroundings once again. The room was eggshell white and bare except for a painting of daffodils that hung on the wall. There was a large leather sofa in the corner as well as a chair directly beside my bed. A whiff of the air and I got the familiar smell of disinfectant confirming that I was indeed at St Mungo's.

"W…what happened?" I asked weakly. Was I in an accident or something? Did I accidentally splinch myself while trying to apparate? I wriggled as I tried to see if my body was intact.

"I'll do a quick check up before allowing your family members back inside. They'll be happy to know that you are awake. Now just open your mouth a little bit." The plump woman said as she helped me to sit up before performing various magical medical related spells on me.

-"You are running a slight fever but that is probably indication that your body is recuperating. I'll be back with a potion. I'll send your family members in a couple of minutes." She left the room professionally before I could say anything else.

As if on cue though everything hit me at once, from my being at work to getting kidnapped and tortured and before I knew it, I was trembling in fear.

"Ginny… Oh my Merlin!" My mother exclaimed upon entering the room and noticing my panic attack. She pulled me into her comforting arms before gently caressing my back.

"It's alright, Ginny dear. You are fine now. You are safe." Mum whispered to me as I struggled to gain control of myself. I was wheezing now taking uncontrollable gasps of air. My head was spinning far worse now and I felt as though my lungs were going to burst.

"Do you think that maybe we should call the Healer?" I heard the familiar, worried voice of my brother, Bill.

"No. No. She has dealt with this before. Maybe you could get someone to bring her a nice cup of strong tea, preferably chamomile." Mum instructed him quietly as she continued stroking my hair.

I had managed to quieten myself a couple of minutes later letting out the occasional sob.

"You're fine now, Ginny dear. We won't let anything happen to you ever again." Mum said as she hugged me tightly. I hadn't realised earlier but now when I had calmed down, it had occurred to me that my mother was crying.

She sniffled as she said –"My poor baby girl. After the Chamber incident, we swore that we would never let you get hurt again and now look at you." She continued evidently in hysterics.

"Molly dear... get a hold of yourself. Your crying is only going to stress Ginny out and you know what the Healer has said." I heard my Dad say from somewhere. My view had been blocked the very minute Mum had thrown her arms around me but I was not complaining. It had been a while since Mum held me like this. Truth be told, I had never felt as comforted as I did now. There was nothing like a mother's touch to make her child feel safe and sound. I missed this.

And she was right; I had dealt with this before, after the Chamber incident. This hyperventilating/panic attack thing had been my body's way of dealing with stress. Mum still hadn't gotten hold of herself.

"Arthur, just look at how we have been treating our baby girl lately…." She continued sobbing and mumbling unintelligible words. It was my turn to comfort her.

"I suppose more than me, Mum is in need of a strong cuppa chamomile tea." I chuckled weakly at my own joke. –"I'm fine, Mum."

"Oh hush, you are not fine. Always trying to stand on your own feet …" She pulled away having found something to lecture me about. Not that I was complaining. I had missed this.

Now that my view of my door was back, I had noted that pretty much most of my family members were here. There was Charlie and Mikayla, Percy and Penelope, the twins and their respective wives. Apparently, Bill was here too as well. He had probably gone on that tea errand. The only people who were missing were the Golden Trio. Not that it bothered me anyway. Okay well it did, a little.

"Ginny…" My dad said as he kissed my forehead lightly. It was a sign that all our grievances had been forgotten. Not that I had any in the first place.

"Hey Daddy…" I smiled at him lightly.

My siblings and sisters-in-law were now swarmed around me. Fred and George had brought gifts from their joke shop. We had pretty much established the fact that they were glad that I was alive. I was just glad that they were talking to me again. Honestly, if this was what it took just to get them to do so…

Bill had gotten back from his tea errand. He now placed a cup of piping hot chamomile tea on my bedside table.

"Mum, tea is here." I joked making the rest laugh.

Bill looked on, puzzled. –"Didn't you say that the tea was for Ginny?"

"Mum had one of her crying fits, brother." Fred explained grinning wickedly at his elder brother.

"Figures." Bill nodded his head. He turned his attention towards me now. We weren't on the best of relationships either. Especially since he had now moved back to Shell Cottage with Fleur and Baby Victoire Amanda.

"I'm glad you are okay, Gin." He told me quietly as he took my hand. I squeezed his with whatever energy I had in me. Things were finally starting to look better with my family.

We spent the entire afternoon together and as everyone knew, a day with family was never dull. I was thoroughly entertained with new gossips. I also found out that I had been unconscious for two whole days. The Golden Trio had left for the upcoming Quidditch season. They had been informed though. Ron had replied saying that they would drop by one of these days.

Even though I was entertained, a part of me couldn't help but think of him. Where was he? Why wasn't he here? What happened?

And I did ask those questions though, eventually. The replies that I received were short, awkward. It was a start though. The idea of almost losing me had scared them into acceptance of my relationship with Draco. I was not too sure about how I felt about that.

Eventually it was time for them to go. Mum insisted on staying but I assured her that I wouldn't die if she left me alone for a couple of hours. She promised to return after she had finished her chores.

With a family as big as mine, and having survived torture from the Bellatrix Lestrange's reincarnate, it was only normal that I be exhausted. A couple of minutes on my own and I had soon enough submitted to sleep.

* * *

I awoke a couple of hours later to someone stroking my hair. I opened my eyes only to see the man of my dreams looking at me concernedly. His grey eyes were filled with worry and something else, anger? He looked tired as though he hadn't had a proper night's sleep in ages but other than that, not a thing out of place. Leave it to my boyfriend to look like he walked out of Wogue at a time like this.

"Draco…" I greeted him weakly, forcing myself to sit up or rather attempt to.

Noticing my attempt, he immediately thought to help me. I suppose he knew me well enough to know that I would be extremely cranky if I couldn't sit up.

"Hey you…" He greeted me back softly, kissing me lightly on my forehead before leaning back to take in my appearance. I'm sure I looked like a mess alright; I hadn't looked at a mirror in days. I touched my hair self-consciously only to feel my wavy length in tangles.

"Don't." Draco stopped me as I winced from the pain of moving my hand. His eyes flashed angrily like lightning as he scrutinized me from head to toe.

"How are you feeling?" He asked cautiously.

I looked at him still feeling groggy-"Like I could sleep forever."

"Why don't you head back to bed, love?" He suggested. Okay no, suggested was the wrong word for it, he was telling me to head back to sleep.

I shook my head, I was tired but I didn't want him out of my sight. Not now, not ever.

"I don't want to." I said stubbornly.

"Ginny, you need to rest. Your body is exhausted from the…._stress_ that you have been put through. Evidently, so is your mind. C'mon let's get you settled now." He stood up and made move to make me lie down. He handled me like glass and I was way too weak to fight back even though I protested. Before long, I was tucked in.

"I want to talk to you, Draco." I told him as I glared at him accusingly.

He smirked back at me, happy that he had gotten his way.

"We can talk when you feel better, love. You should go back to sleep now. Your body is demanding it."

"But I've missed you." I said my eyes welling up with angry, stubborn tears. I turned my head away so that he wouldn't see my tears fall.

He didn't miss anything though, no pun intended. He was by my side gently caressing my cheeks while wiping my tears away.

"Why are you crying, Ginny? Be rational, love. You need to rest now. The Ginny I know would tell me to 'bugger off' for making her mad. You are not in a proper state now." He explained. Thank goodness he did not say 'proper state of mind' right now, if I had one more accusation towards my state of mind right now, exhausted or not I was planning on decking the person.

"I just want to spend time with you." I said, darn those tears betraying and showcasing every emotion I had ever felt for Draco.

"I want to spend time with you too. But you need to rest, please go to sleep. For me?" He pleaded sincerely gazing into my eyes.

I agreed even though I wasn't happy about it. Frankly, I was too tired to even fight with him. We would just have to compromise though.

"On one condition-"I stated.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes at me, trying to guess what I was going to ask him to do.

"Would you please hold me? We've never cuddled, the bed is big enough for two and I've missed you." I put on my best puppy face inspired by little Teddy Lupin.

He shook his head his lips turning up into a mischievous smile. –"Well, what do you know? Our first time sleeping together and it's on a hospital bed. Memorable…."

"Shut up." I replied as he adjusted us such that his chest was my pillow. I snuggled into him revelling the feeling of us lying down together. I had dreamt of this a long time ago. He kissed my hair lightly before retreating to stare at the ceiling.

For a few moments, it was pure silence. I expect Draco had wanted me to fall asleep but I was wide awake especially now that we were cuddling. I wanted to live in the moment. He smelt amazing, like soap made from herbs and spices. I looked up only to see him staring at the ceiling a faraway look in his eyes.

"You should sleep too, Draco." I told my boyfriend as I had a close up view on the bags under his eyes.

My voice jostled him out of his thoughts –"You're still awake?" He looked down at me curiously.

"I'm trying to fall asleep but I can't. Can we talk instead?" I asked.

"Well as long as it puts you to sleep, I guess. What do you want to talk about?" He asked me.

"What were you thinking about?" I asked truly interested. He had looked as though he was physically present here but mentally he was elsewhere.

"I was just thinking about the beautiful girl I'm currently holding in my arms." He replied smirking at me. Despite the fact that he looked like he could use a good night's worth of sleep, he looked devilishly handsome.

"Really?" I said somewhat coyly.

"Yes, really." He kissed my hair lightly. As I felt his kiss, I couldn't help but wonder if my hair actually smelt good. I mean, I couldn't even remember the last time I had a proper bath.

"Draco, you are a terrible liar. Now tell me what were you actually thinking about?" I demanded as I looked up at him.

"I was thinking about you." He protested.

"But surely not about my ethereal beauty, because if I actually do have any of that, it's on vacation now – I have definitely seen better days. Now… what were you thinking about?" I prompted him.

"Fine…." He sighed. –"I didn't want to bring this up."

-"I was thinking about you and how those bastards sought to hurt you using the Cruciatus curse." He said darkly, anger flashing in his eyes. So I obviously hadn't noticed the storm that was in them earlier.

Angry would be an understatement to describe him right now. He was absolutely livid. I had to calm him down.

"It's okay, darling. Look at me; I'm out of harm's way now aren't I?" I rubbed him comfortingly on his arm.

"When I think about how I found you, crumpled and lying there…." He shook his head looking absolutely devastated. It broke my heart to see how broken he looked.

-"I don't ever want you away from me, Ginny." His grip around me tightened. His voice had grown gruff. It was a really emotional moment for him. Choosing to give him his space, I snuggled into him, tears welling in my eyes.

"I don't ever want to be apart from you too, Draco." My voice cracked slightly as I practically laid my heart out there for him. –"I was so afraid then. So damn afraid." I admitted as I thought of the things I had gone through there, wherever that was. I never wanted to find out.

-"The only thing that got me through everything was the fact that it was better that I was there rather than you." I knew I was revealing too much but I had to get it out there. My mind was a jar that was overflowing with emotions. At this point, Draco had pretty much frozen as he held me.

-"And if I had to go through that again… I would, in a heartbeat." I said meaning every word. I loved Draco.

After a painful moment's pause, Draco replied –"Why, Ginny?" He practically whispered in stunned silence.

"Because…." I paused. _Now was the time, Ginny. Tell him that you love him. _My mind urged me.

"Because?" He questioned, helping the both of us sit up. Looks like neither of us were going to get sleep anytime soon. This conversation had killed any chances of it.

"Because…"I shrugged nonchalantly, too much of a coward to continue. _Because I love you._

"Because what? Dammit Ginny!" He said clearly frustrated. I didn't blame him, he had accepted the same reason last time without batting an eyelash but now that things were on a deeper end, he had to know.

I understood Draco better than he understood himself.

I kept silent watching Draco as his frustration turned to anger by the second.

-"Dammit, Ginny! Stop being completely and utterly irrational! First, you put your nose into affairs which don't even involve you. Then when it's about to come to an end, you refuse all the security measures put up for your safety! You get yourself kidnapped and you provoke your abductors into torturing you!" He ended looking incredulous and angry at the same time.

I stared at him, flabbergasted. _How did he know that I had provoked them? _

"Yes! I know!" He roared at me. –"And I can't decide whether I should applaud you or throttle you…" He finished looking at me meaningfully. He was off the bed now while I sat there slowly turning into an emotional wreck for the millionth time.

Tears rolled down my face as he continued to talk.

-"Why? Why? Why would you do this for me, Ginny?" He asked. -"I am not worth the pain and the suffering that you were put through."

"You're worth so much more, Draco." I cried. If only he knew how much he meant to me. –"I did this because I love you, dammit."

_There you had it, Draco Malfoy. My heart cut out and handed to you on a platter. _

My vision was blurred by my tears –"I've loved you since you constantly riled me up with your stupid notes. I've loved you since…." I choked before I could finish my sentence. –"I've loved you for a long time, Draco Malfoy." I said crying harder now.

I started gasping, hyperventilating. In no time at all, my boyfriend pulled me into his arms murmuring sweet nothings to calm me. Within minutes, I was all calm and collected as we retreated to cuddling again. Draco had decided that too much drama had transpired in the last couple of minutes and we were not doing what we were supposed to be doing.

As he stroked my hair, he murmured, -"Ginevra Mollyanne Weasley, you are one insane woman! You are emotional, sensitive, gullible and a spitfire all at the same time. You are passionate, kind, adorable, stubborn and I can safely say that you are one of a kind. You're beautiful. And you know what, I love you too, Weasley. I've loved you for a long time as well."

With that, he captured my lips into a passionate kiss, conveying every other emotion that he could not put in words.

* * *

**THANK YOU -  
For reading every single chapter (silent reader or not)**

**For standing by Working for the Dragon in good times and bad times **

**For reviewing (every single one of you guys)**

**For encouraging me with positive comments & even the negative ones (even though I barely have those)**

**Working for the Dragon was my first story on Fanfiction and even though it could to with a little tweaking here and there, I wouldn't change it for the world because this story started my dedication to Fanfiction as an author/reviewer. And most importantly, I grew up while writing this. **

**The amount of love and positive comments I have received for this story is unbelievable. Really. Thank you guys for building up my confidence as a writer, I feel amazed every time I look at my reviews. **

**I would love to hear what you guys thought of this last chapter. So please, please please do review! For the last chapter's sake! **

**Lastly, I'll be working on Better With You next so if you haven't already checked out Under the Mistletoe and Better With You (The Sequel to UTM), please go show both stories some love!**

**Thank you guys once again and we'll meet again on another story or so! I have afterall taken an Unbreakable Vow to make Fanfiction my hobby for the rest of my life! **

**xoxo**

**My Bad Addiction**

**P.S: If you feel like we haven't come full circle yet then stay tuned!;)**


	31. Chapter 31 Epilogue

**Working for the Dragon **

**Chapter 31. And That's a Wrap!**

* * *

**Epilogue**

"Mum, I'm going to give Draco a tour of the house." I informed her while giving my boyfriend a pointed look.

His grey eyes lit in excitement and his expression rivalled that of a child going to the Quidditch World Cup for the first time. I tsked mentally as the love of my life stood up gallantly looking terribly out of place in the Burrow.

Everyone had noticed that of course and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Mum, Dad, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Mikayla, Percy, Penelope…. And the list goes on. It was Draco's first visit to the Burrow as my boyfriend and even though he had dressed down, in muggle clothing to be more specific. He looked remarkably out of place.

Even Lupin and Tonks were here today with little Teddy in tow. I had specifically requested that they come. Since they actually got along with Draco, it would work in his favour. Not to mention the fact that he would get some decent company.

Within the first hour that Draco had been here, he had managed to charm the women. Of course, they had initially been blown away by his devastating good looks not to mention the charm he added while making effort in getting to know them. They had positively swooned when they saw how good Draco was at keeping little Teddy entertained.

As for the men, Draco had managed a rather decent attempt at conversation with my dad about the Ministry – decent because we all know that he did not give two hoots about the Ministry of Magic. Followed by finances and a discussion of an upgrade to the wizarding zoo with Bill and Charlie. Percy was probably the only sibling of mine who had a personal motive while talking to Draco.

Fred and George had merely grunted and stayed in the room, their wives had told me that they had been threatened with bedroom activities or the lack of if they didn't behave themselves. As for the Golden Trio, they managed to stay in the room for a period of time, quite an achievement. Of course, Harry was rather peeved when he noticed the bond that his godson had with Draco.

It was about a month after the incident that nearly cost me my life. I had just been released from St Mungo's because I had willingly discovered that it takes quite a while to recover from the Cruciatus Curse, especially if it had been handed to you freely. I wish I could say that Draco had been the ever-devoted boyfriend and had not left my side at all but that was not the case.

Between my hospitalization, managing Malfoy Empire and the trial that was awaiting Goyle and Audrina, Draco practically had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Despite the fact that he was practically drowning with paperwork, he had executed everything perfectly.

My best friend, Channy had taken over as my temporary replacement till I was given as Muggles would say the 'green light' to come back to work. Narcissa had apparently decided that Draco needed a secretary more than she did.

He was absolutely perfect – no matter what he did. We both knew that he could not play the part of the ever-devoted boyfriend and neither did I want him to. I think we would end up killing each other if he did. However, in those times when he was absent, he always made sure that I was never short of company. He had me entertained for hours by many of my friends and family members. Even Blaise stopped by many a times.

Even in those quiet times, he never let me forget about him. He sent me little notes to say that he was thinking of me and occasionally bouquets because we both know that I was not very fond of flowers.

My family had come to accept him mostly because of the fact that he saved my life. What they didn't know was that he hadn't needed to if I had not chosen to meddle into his affairs but what they didn't know could not hurt them. Mum had said that once I was released from St Mungo's, she would cook him a good meal and they would have a brilliant get together.

Of course, her eyes flashed with warning when she said it, warning directed at my family members that everything should go perfectly and that Draco be treated with respect.

And so we were gathered here today with Draco in all his dressed down glory and me heading up to the attic to fulfil his fantasy. A long time ago when Draco had accompanied me home on one of those days where my family had been away at Bulgaria, he had discovered the Burrow's biggest secret, the fact that we housed a ghoul in the attic. He was more of a nuisance pet really, scaring me by banging on the pipes whenever the house got too quiet.

Draco had been in awe since then and since the invitation to my house as a dinner guest, he could not conceal his excitement at finally seeing the family's pet ghoul. Not to mention the fact that he always wondered how we lived. He could finally put his childhood away to rest today, I had joked with him.

We held hands and climbed up the staircase, slowly because of me. By the end of the first flight, I was out of breath and before I had the chance to catch it back, I was up in Draco's arms.

"Draco! Put me down!" I insisted as he carried me up the next flight with such ease.

"Nope, I have dreamt too much of this day to let it get ruined by your inability to walk up a flight of stairs. Besides, I've gotten quite used to carrying you around." He smirked at me making my insides melt into a pile of goo.

"Oh really!" I heard myself retort in reply. _Don't let him get to you or at least don't let him know he got to you. _–"When was the last time you carried me in your arms?"

His expression sobered immediately –"When I had to carry you out of that place." _Very bad idea, Ginny. You know how upset Draco gets whenever he is reminded of the incident._

"Oh Draco…" I softened immediately, tightening my hold around his neck. I planted a light kiss on his cheek. –"What's done is done alright? They're awaiting trial in Azkaban now and it looks like they are going to be locked away for a long, long time. Maybe even kissed."

I wouldn't wish a Dementor's kiss on my worst enemy but Draco's expression made me wish for thousands to be inflicted on them. He blamed himself for whatever I had gone through. I had long given up telling him that it was not his fault.

It's kind of hard telling your boyfriend that you deliberately provoked your abductors into torturing you to the point of insanity so that the Ministry would be alerted. The first few times I tried explaining this to him had only resulted in arguments between us leaving me all red-eyed and snotty. I had learnt my lesson since then.

A lot of good had come out of this though. For instance, my family had come to accept that I was dating Draco Malfoy. Secondly, Draco and I had confessed our undying love for one another. I had time off from work – not that I liked the last bit. I hated getting news second-hand.

Now that Channy was Draco's secretary, she seemed to know of all the things that were going on in Audrina and Goyle's case. I was never given the play by play accounts of the charges upon them as well as the trial. I only knew that they were locked away in Azkaban and Draco was rid of all charges with regards to Gerald McDomer. Obviously, they had admitted.

The only thing that I had found out was the fact that McDomer had been a third partner in the fraud that Audrina and Goyle had been planning. His death had been convenient because at that period, he sought to be greedy. I didn't know how or why because both Draco and Channy refused to tell me. They were afraid that it would affect my mental health.

It's true though, since the Cruciatus, I had gotten a tad bit more emotional than before. I cried at the drop of a hat. The only person who was an absolute darling while handling my emotional instability was Draco. I suppose that garnered him respect in my family's eyes. Most of the time, they were bewildered and I occasionally caught a "Floo Draco."

"This is it?" Draco's voice had me snapping back into reality. He set me down as the both of us stood in front of the entrance to the attic. Everything from earlier had been forgotten as curiosity, awe and excitement filled his metallic eyes.

I nodded my head, let Draco have his fun. Perhaps being knocked by a pipe or two would teach him that having a ghoul was nothing more than a nuisance.

Cautiously, he opened the door peering inside.

"Lumos!" He lit his wand before shining it inside the dark, musty attic. I, in the meantime chose to stick behind him for self-preservations sake. Our ghoul was a bit of a bipolar creature and a dimwit.

True enough the ghoul had not taken his presence kindly and had tossed a loose pipe in Draco's direction. Thanks to his Quidditch reflexes, Draco had caught it before it could do any more damage. He had shot the ghoul such an icy glare that he had stopped his groans. That was my boyfriend.

"The message is clear. We are obviously not welcomed here. We will go now." He had said rather tersely.

Holding my hand, we descended down the stairs together slowly. I couldn't bite back a grin.

"Fantasy fulfilled, Mr Malfoy?" I teased as I nudged him.

He shook his head –"There is still the part where you are wearing nothing but rags and…." I covered his lips with my palm before it got too rated. We were under my parent's roof for goodness sake. Not to mention the fact that my brothers were the creators of the Extendable Ears.

"Shhhh…."I told him while pointing to a smiling picture of my parents. He had gotten the message of course.

"What? No snogging under this roof?" He asked.

I nodded my head, confirming it.

"Well….I'm abit of a rebel as you can see, I choose not to follow the rules." Before I could come up with a reply, he had captured my lips with his. Who could resist Draco Malfoy's kisses? They were like hot chocolate fudge brownies with cool vanilla ice cream, delicious.

I chose to melt into his arms as his lips begged for entrance. I was pinned against the wall now and I didn't mind. My hands were buried in his platinum locks and his were wrapped around my waist. That's probably because he knew I would melt into a pile of goo sooner or later.

His lips soon made their way to leaving a trail of butterfly kisses down my neck. I moaned in bliss choosing to forget the very reasons I had shied away from him earlier.

"Ginny!" My mum's voice sounded in the distance. –"Ginny! Dinner is served! Please bring Draco down, dear!" And with that, the two of us pulled away from each other looking like guilty teenagers who had been caught snogging each other senseless.

Catching each other's eye, the both of us laughed. I adjusted Draco's tousled mess as he caressed my cheek lovingly.

"I love you, Ginny Weasley." He said sincerely while adjusting a loose strand on my head.

"And I, you, Draco Malfoy." I stood on tip-toes, pecking him lightly on his lips.

Holding his hand, I led him down to where my family was awaiting the both of us.

My life while working for the Dragon had been far from perfect but that was the best thing about it.

I had initially sought independence, freedom, and respect but now I had a lot more. I had someone who loved me for me and that was all that mattered.

I love you, Draco. Forever and always.

THE END

* * *

**Wow, I'm really going to cry now. Working for the Dragon has ended. :'( / :') **

**This story has truly, truly seen me grow up. From 18 – 21 (which I turn on the 10****th**** of April) is no joke. I've been through heartbreaks, seen tons of ups and downs in my life. This has been the only constant in my life. It makes my heart ache to let it go but alas…. **

**I have enjoyed writing this story. Ginny is really a force to be with and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading about her as much as I have enjoyed writing. Thank you all so much for the support and the love that I have received for the last three years!**

**I have gotten some awesome friends from this journey. Thank you all so much! **

**Needless to say, before anyone asks, I don't think I will be writing a sequel for this story anytime soon. If I do, I will keep you guys informed. It's one of the various reasons why I left an open but happy ending. **

**Please, please do take the time out to review, guys, for the epilogue's sake! I look forward to reading all your comments and letting my heart ache. **

**I will be working on completing Better With You next, so please do check out Under the Mistletoe and it's sequel Better With You! **

**A BIG FAT THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN! **

**DRINNY, FOREVER AND ALWAYS. **

**Lots of love, **

**My Bad Addiction**


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